OLYMPICS

Olympic Games 2012: Facilities

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what her most recent estimate is of the cost of hosting the London 2012 Olympic tennis events at Wimbledon.

Tessa Jowell: The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has responsibility for staging the Olympic and Paralympic games at existing venues. The direct costs associated with staging the events at existing venues come from LOCOG's revenues which are primarily derived from commercial sponsorship, broadcast rights, ticket sales and merchandising/licensing—not from the public purse.
	There will be attributable costs to the public purse, for example in respect of the security and transport functions associated with the venue. However these costs have not yet been identified separately for individual venues, but they will form part of the overall security and transport budgets.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Emissions: Housing

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many grant applications for funding were received by the Low Carbon Buildings programme in respect of projects in  (a) schools,  (b) hospitals and  (c) other public buildings in (i) the East of England and (ii) Castle Point in each year since the scheme's inception.

Joan Ruddock: The following number of grant applications for funding were received by the Low Carbon Buildings programme in respect of projects in  (a) schools,  (b) hospitals and  (c) other public buildings in (i) the East of England region and (ii) Castle Point in each year since the scheme's inception.
	 Low Carbon Buildings Programme—Phase 1
	 East of England
	(Communities and Stream 2 A)
	Applications received (including withdrawn, rejected, expired)
	
		
			   2006  2007  
			  Organisation  July  August  September  November  January  March  April  June  September  Total 
			 Hospital 1 1 
			 School 1 1 1   1   3 7 
			 Other  1 2 1 4 1 3 3 3 18 
			 Total 1 2 3 1 4 2 3 3 7 26 
		
	
	 Castle Point
	We are unable to check results at local borough level. However, applications under all streams of phase 1 have been checked against the towns in the following table which make up the local borough area, and no applications were submitted (Convey Island, Benfleet, Thundersley and Hadleigh).
	There were no applications from Castle Point.
	 Low Carbon Buildings Programme—Phase 2
	 East of England
	
		
			  Organisation  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  Total 
			 Hospital — 2 — 2 
			 School 24 42 5 71 
			 Other public buildings 10 12 4 26 
		
	
	There were no applications from Castle Point.

Carbon Emissions: Standards

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has spent under each budget heading on its consultation on the term carbon neutral; and how many civil servants in each pay band have worked on that consultation.

Joan Ruddock: The consultation in question sought views on a definition of the term 'carbon neutral' and on practical guidance on applying the definition, including recommendations on what constitutes good practice. Departmental expenditure on the consultation related to administration costs only. Salary costs have been estimated at between £35,000 and £40,000. Work on the consultation was carried out by one official in pay range D with a small amount of support from staff at pay ranges C and H. Other costs relate solely to stationery and are estimated at less than £50.

Departmental Billing

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 18 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1115W, on departmental billing, how much his Department's non-departmental public bodies have paid in interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 since his Department was established.

Joan Ruddock: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority are unable to separately identify interest paid under the Act since DECC was created due to systems constraints. None of the Department's other non-departmental public bodies have paid interest under the Act.

Departmental Data Protection

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many breaches of information security there have been at his Department since its creation.

Joan Ruddock: There have been no breaches of information security in the Department.
	The Department and its agencies will report all significant personal data security breaches to the Cabinet Office and the ICO. Information on any personal data security breaches are published on an annual basis in the Department's annual resource accounts as was announced in the Data Handling Review published on 25 June 2008.
	Additionally, all significant control weaknesses including other significant security breaches are included in the Statement of Internal Control which is published within the annual resource accounts.

Departmental Energy

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent progress his Department has made towards the target of increasing its energy efficiency per square metre of its Estate by 15 per cent. by 2010, relative to 1999-2000 levels; and if he will make a statement.

David Kidney: Since DECC's inception, BERR and DEFRA manage the Department's estate. Given that, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Natural and Marine Environment, Wildlife and Rural Affairs on 20 April 2009,  Official Report, column 84W, and by my hon. Friend the Minister for Employment Relations and Postal Affairs at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on 20 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 401-02W.
	DECC has identified and is implementing a number of measures aimed at increasing energy efficiency at its HQ, in line with Good Practice Guide 286—Energy Performance in the Government's Civil Estate.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much  (a) electricity and  (b) gas was used (i) on his Department's estate and (ii) by his Department's agencies in each year from its inception to 2008-09.

Joan Ruddock: As at 30 March 2009 the Department used approximately 1,066,912 kWh of electricity and 570,944 kWh of gas since its inception. This is based on average daily usage. DECC has no agencies.

Departmental Work Experience

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many  (a) paid and  (b) unpaid graduate internships his Department has awarded in each of the last six months.

Joan Ruddock: DECC does not currently have a central system for monitoring internships. However, a trawl of all directorates has revealed that there are currently no paid or unpaid graduate internships in the Department.

Electric Cables

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the costs and benefits of placing underground  (a) new and  (b) existing electricity transmission lines;
	(2)  when his Department last assessed the need to retain all parts of the overhead electricity transmission and distribution network; and if he will make a statement.

David Kidney: Any such assessments are a matter for Ofgem and the network operators and would be carried out as part of the price control review mechanism through which the transmission and distribution network companies are regulated.

Energy Supply

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what meetings he and other Ministers in his Department have had with  (a) Ofgem,  (b) energy suppliers and  (c) energy consumer groups or representatives since October 2008 in the last 12 months.

David Kidney: In order to inform the development and support delivery of policy the Secretary of State and Ministers have met on a regular basis with a broad range of companies, interest groups and the regulator since the creation of DECC in October 2008.

Energy: Consumers

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the relationship between consumer awareness of energy efficiency and consumer behaviour adopting energy-efficiency practices.

Joan Ruddock: DECC takes account of externally available research about consumer awareness of energy use and energy efficiency and effects on behaviour, in order to inform its policy development.
	DECC is co-funding the Energy Demand Research Project, which is enabling the Government, energy suppliers and others to test through a variety of interventions how electricity and gas customers respond to better information about their consumption. The project explores the impact on energy consumption and energy efficiency of smart meters in combination with awareness raising tools including real-time display devices and additional billing information, as well as the provision of energy efficiency information and community engagement.

Entec UK

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the  (a) purpose and  (b) monetary value is of each contract his Department has with Entec UK environmental consultants.

Joan Ruddock: DECC has two contracts with Entec:
	(a) Appraisal of Sustainability of five energy National Planning Statements (a requirement of the Planning Act 2008) and
	(b) Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Framework for the Development of Clean Coal (a requirement of Directive 2001/42/EC—the 'Strategic Environmental Assessment' directive).
	The value of both of these contracts is considered commercially sensitive.

Mike Anderson

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what position Mike Anderson holds within his Department.

Joan Ruddock: Mike Anderson no longer holds a position in the Department.

Nuclear Power Stations

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what timetable he has set for the confirmation of planning permissions for the next generation of nuclear power stations.

David Kidney: The Office for Nuclear Development has published an indicative timeline for the new nuclear build programme on their website. It sets out at a strategic level how the key parts of the new nuclear programme fit together.
	The timeline shows we expect to publish and consult on the draft Nuclear National Policy Statement (NPS) in the autumn of this year. We expect the Nuclear NPS to be designated in the spring of next year and the IPC will be ready to receive applications shortly after this.
	The indicative timeline can be viewed at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/energy/sources/nuclear/index.html

Radioactive Fallout: Exemptions

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will allocate funds to pay the subsistence and accommodation expenses of the expert stakeholders invited to attend the workshop on proposals for a future exemptions regime under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 and draft Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010, to be held in Manchester on 9 July.

David Kidney: The Department will reimburse reasonable travel costs and will consider accommodation costs on a case by case basis. The timing and location of the workshop has been chosen to help stakeholders participate from across the UK.

Warm Front Scheme

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average waiting time between successful application to the Warm Front scheme and the installation of the efficiency measures was in each year since the scheme was established.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 24 March 2009
	The average waiting times since the start of the current Scheme in 2005 until 28 February 2009 are detailed in the following table. These waiting times are within the Department's contractual guidelines, which state that heating measures will be installed within 120 days of survey and insulation measures within 40 days.
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			  Heating 
			 Installation 66.0 days 81.9 days 63.8 days 64.7 days 
			  
			  Insulation 
			 Installation 28.2 days 32.7 days 27.4 days 35.8 days

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Digital Broadcasting: Derbyshire

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding has been allocated for broadcasting in West Derbyshire to implement proposals contained in the Digital Britain White Paper.

Si�n Simon: The White Paper sets out various proposals in respect of broadcasting. The Government will shortly be consulting on how to secure and fund essential public service content and it is too early to say how this will be allocated or which regions may benefit.

National Lottery: Merseyside

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of Lottery funding has been allocated to organisations in  (a) Merseyside and  (b) Crosby in each of the last five years; and which organisations received such funding.

Si�n Simon: The following table shows the value of lottery grants awarded to organisations in Merseyside and Crosby in the same years, along with the total amount of lottery grants awarded in the last five years. Merseyside is taken to be the boroughs of Knowsley, Liverpool, St. Helens, Sefton and Wirral.
	
		
			
			  2004-05  
			 Total lottery money awarded 1,631,700,181 
			 Total lottery money to Merseyside 40,285,448 
			 Total lottery money to Crosby 350,989 
			   
			  2005-06  
			 Total lottery money awarded 1,249,237,162 
			 Total lottery money to Merseyside 21,783,707 
			 Total lottery money to Crosby 155,174 
			   
			  2006-07  
			 Total lottery money awarded 969,785,678 
			 Total lottery money to Merseyside 31,383,133 
			 Total lottery money to Crosby 123,348 
			   
			  2007-08  
			 Total lottery money awarded 1,550,673,214 
			 Total lottery money to Merseyside 23,624,868 
			 Total lottery money to Crosby 649,309 
			   
			  2008-09  
			 Total lottery money awarded 920,814,373 
			 Total lottery money to Merseyside 20,194,869 
			 Total lottery money to Crosby 127,807 
		
	
	These statistics have been prepared using the Department's lottery grants database. The database is searchable at:
	www.lottery.culture.gov.uk
	and uses information on lottery grants supplied by the lottery distributors.
	I have arranged for a list to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses of organisations in Merseyside and Crosby that received lottery awards in those years.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Billing

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 20 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1411W, on departmental billing, how much his Department's non-departmental public bodies spent in interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in the last three years.

Shaun Woodward: This is an operational matter for the non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) of the Northern Ireland Office, which operate independently of Government. I would encourage the hon. Gentleman to write to the NDPB chief executives.
	A list of these NDPBs is available on page 7 of the Northern Ireland Office departmental report, published in June 2009.

Departmental Energy

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which official is responsible for the energy efficiency of his Department's estate.

Shaun Woodward: The Director of Resources, Anthony Harbinson, takes responsibility for sustainable development matters, including energy efficiency.

Departmental Internet

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on the maintenance of his Departmental website in each year since 2007.

Paul Goggins: The cost of maintaining the Northern Ireland Office website (www.nio.gov.uk) is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  Northern Ireland Office website maintenance costs 
			
			 2008-09 4,227 
			 2007-08 4,308

Departmental Recruitment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether it is his policy to seek to increase the number of Catholic staff in his Department.

Shaun Woodward: All appointments to the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) are made on merit.
	The Northern Ireland Office's Diversity Delivery Plan 2008-10 includes:
	Our aim is to ensure that representation of Protestants and Catholics in the NIO is comparable to the wider NI civil service.
	The plan highlights the fact that Catholic representation has continued to make steady progress from 25 per cent. in 1997 to 35 per cent. in 2008.

Departmental Training

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what training courses have been attended by special advisers in his Department in the last 12 months; and at what cost.

Shaun Woodward: In the past 12 months the Northern Ireland Office special advisers have not attended any training courses.

Northern Ireland Act 2009

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many letters his Department received  (a) in favour and  (b) against the Northern Ireland Bill of Session 2008-09 before its enactment.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office did not receive any letters either in favour or against the Northern Ireland Act 2009 before it was enacted.

Parades

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the Parades Commission on parades to take place on 12 July 2009.

Shaun Woodward: I hold regular discussions with the Parades Commission on a range of parades related matters, including forthcoming parades. The Parades Commission remains the final arbiter of parades and is independent of Government.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Business: Government Assistance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to her Department's press notice of 6 April 2009, on recruitment and training subsidies, how many businesses have received a recruitment subsidy; and how many individuals have returned to employment as a result.

Jim Knight: The recruitment subsidy was introduced on 6 April 2009 and data are only starting to feed through. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish official statistics from autumn 2009.

Carers Benefits: Pensioners

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the number of people of pensionable age who are eligible for carers allowance but disqualified because of the overlapping benefit rule; and what the estimated cost is of paying the allowance to them.

Jonathan R Shaw: The number of people over state pension age who are entitled to carer's allowance but not receiving any payment because of the overlapping benefit rule is 362,350. The estimated maximum annual cost of paying carer's allowance to pensioners who are subject to the overlap is around 1 billion.
	 Notes
	1. This estimate does not include people who do not make a claim for carer's allowance, as we have no way of calculating how many there are.
	2. It should be noted that unless major changes to rules on how carer's allowance is treated within pension credit were to be introduced, the overall Exchequer cost of such a measure would be smaller due to the offsetting reduction in pension credit expenditure.

Departmental Data Protection

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many breaches of information security there have been at  (a) her Department and  (b) its agencies in the last five years.

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander), on 23 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 815W-16W.

Departmental Food

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of the  (a) meat,  (b) fruit and  (c) vegetables procured by her Department in the last 12 months was produced in the UK.

Jim Knight: The Department has a contract for the provision of fully serviced accommodation with Telereal Trillium which includes catering and food procurement. Annually, 63 per cent. of meat, 33 per cent. of fruit (100 per cent. when seasonably available) and 62 per cent. of vegetables procured by the Department's supplier is produced in the UK.

EC Law

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the proportion of statutory obligations provided for by legislation on matters for which her Department is responsible which were introduced as a consequence of obligations arising from EU legislation in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: To date during the 2008-09 session, the Department has been responsible for 61 Statutory Instruments and two Government Bills (including six S.I.s from the Health and Safety Executive), some of which consolidated and revoked previous instruments. The Department estimates that around 5 per cent. of these (three Statutory Instruments, including one from the Health and Safety Executive) give effect to obligations arising from EU legislation.

Electronic Government: Operating Costs

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much Directgov has cost in each year since its inception.

Jim Knight: The costs for Directgov in each financial year since 2004 are set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Financial year   million 
			 2004-05 5.1 
			 2005-06 10.5 
			 2006-07 12.8 
			 2007-08 13.9 
			 2008-09 30.7

Employment Schemes

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what funding she has allocated for the implementation of progression to work pathfinders;
	(2)  from what source funding for the implementation of the progression to work pathfinders will come;
	(3)  how many additional jobcentre staff are planned to implement the progression to work pathfinders.

Jim Knight: The impact assessment associated with the White Paper 'Raising Expectations and Increasing Supportreforming welfare for the future' estimated that the increase in work-focused interviews and provision to support work and skills-related activity could cost up to an extra 20 million a year for parents with younger children. For employment and support allowance customers we are assessing the appropriate balance between provision of the service by Jobcentre Plus and providers. Additional costs will be met from within the current agreed Department spending plans.
	A cadre of skilled and capable personal advisers will be absolutely essential to effectively implement the Progression to Work model. Our discussion document 'Realising Potential: developing personalised conditionality and support' made clear that that it will be necessary to think through the implications for the adviser role and implement a work force development strategy for Jobcentre Plus staff. This is an issue we will discuss in detail with stakeholders. Until pathfinder locations are decided final decisions cannot be made on the number of personal advisers necessary to deliver the Progression to Work pathfinders.

Employment Schemes

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many firms her Department has made payments to under the employers' golden hello scheme since the scheme's inception; and how many employees have been recruited under the scheme.

Jim Knight: The recruitment subsidy was introduced on 6 April 2009 as part of the six-month offer of extra support for jobseekers and data are only starting to feed through. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish Official Statistics from autumn 2009.

Employment Schemes: Greater Manchester

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of people aged  (a) over 50 years and  (b) between 18 and 25 years in employment in (i) Tameside, (ii) Stockport and (iii) Greater Manchester.

Jim Knight: The Government are committed to giving everyone the support they need to find employment as quickly as possible, whatever their age.
	A major factor in the employment of older people is employer behaviour. In addition to providing generic good practice guidance to employers, the UK's Age Positive initiative is working in partnership with business leaders to develop sector-based models of flexible retirement to support the increased employment and retention of older workers and the removal of fixed retirement ages.
	Our plans for the future include providing guidance to older workers on their options for working longer, encouraging employers to increase flexible work and phased retirement opportunities, a review of the Default Retirement Age in 2011if it is found to be no longer needed it will be removed, and monitoring the impact of the economic downturn, identifying which groups are being most affected and further increasing help where it is most needed.
	For young people who are in danger of slipping into long-term unemployment, funding was provided in the Budget for the Young Person's Guarantee; a guaranteed offer of a job, work-focused training, or meaningful activity to all 18 to 24-year-olds who reach the 12-month stage of their claim to jobseeker's allowance. At the discretion of the Jobcentre Plus adviser, parts of this guaranteed offer could also be extended to people over 24 who face significant barriers in the labour market.
	As part of the Young Person's Guarantee, the Future Jobs Fund will help create up to 100,000 new jobs. It will also help create up to 50,000 new jobs in areas of high unemployment, and is available to all people of working age claiming out of work benefits. We expect the Young Person's Guarantee to be available from January 2010 but we want to get Future Jobs Fund jobs up and running as soon as possiblewith some places starting as early as October this year.
	In addition to this, on 6 April 2009, as part of the Government's response to the economic downturn, the Department for Work and Pensions put in place extra support for newly unemployed customers of all ages, including information and advice about the latest job search techniques and coaching on how to make the most of transferable skills. Extra help for those who have been claiming jobseeker's allowance for six months was also introduced, including opportunities to volunteer, support to become self-employed, recruitment subsidies and work-focused training.
	Since last autumn, the Department has also quadrupled the available funding for the Rapid Response Service, which provides advice and support to customers facing redundancy. It has also extended Local Employment Partnerships, the Adviser Discretion Fund and Access to Work so they are available to customers from the first day of their claim, alongside the support they receive from their Jobcentre Plus personal adviser. This help is available to customers of all ages to ensure that everyone has the best possible chance of finding work.
	The introduction of the Flexible New Deal across Phase 1 areas from October 2010 will give providers the freedom to offer personalised, tailored support to everyone who has been claiming jobseeker's allowance for 12 months, helping them overcome their individual barriers to work. Greater Manchester East and West and Greater Manchester Central districts are included in Phase 1 of the New Jobseeker's Regime and Flexible New Deal and are also pilot districts for Integrated Employment and Skills.
	Across the whole of the Greater Manchester area, Jobcentre Plus also promotes a range of partner provision to enhance the confidence, skills and employability of all of our customers, including those aged 18 to 24 and 50+.

Employment Services

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance her Department has issued to Jobcentre Plus staff on referrals to  (a) the newly unemployed (non-professional) support delivered by programme centres and  (b) the newly unemployed professional and executive support delivered through commercial employment provision; and if she will place in the Library a copy of that guidance.

Jim Knight: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the right hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question of 24 April about what guidance has been issued to Jobcentre Plus staff on referrals to  (a) the newly unemployed (non-professional) support delivered by programme centres and  (b) the newly unemployed professional and executive support delivered through commercial employment provision. This is something that falls within my responsibilities as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The guidance issued to Jobcentre Plus staff on referrals to newly unemployed support delivered by Programme Centres and commercial employment provision has been placed in the Library.

Jobcentre Plus: Complaints

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints regarding Jobcentre Plus have been received in each month of the last two years.

Jim Knight: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the right hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Ruth Owen:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many complaints regarding Jobcentre Plus have been received in each month for the last two years. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mel Groves as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. As Mel Groves is currently on annual leave, I am replying in his absence.
	The information requested is in the following table below.
	
		
			   Total customer complaints 
			 April 2007 3,906 
			 May 2007 4,268 
			 June 2007 3,972 
			 July 2007 4,187 
			 August 2007 4,345 
			 September 2007 3,547 
			 October 2007 4,144 
			 November 2007 3,946 
			 December 2007 3,093 
			 January 2008 3,822 
			 February 2008 3,520 
			 March 2008 3,102 
			 April 2008 3,373 
			 May 2008 2,950 
			 June 2008 3,637 
			 July 2008 4,064 
			 August 2008 3,608 
			 September 2008 3,652 
			 October 2008 4,051 
			 November 2008 3,493 
			 December 2008 3,294 
			 January 2009 3,860 
			 February 2009 4,219 
			 March 2009 5,001 
			  Source: Jobcentre Plus 
		
	
	By way of context to these figures, Jobcentre Plus currently has over four and a half million customers. Every working day, Jobcentre Plus conducts 45,000 adviser interviews, processes over 18,000 new benefit claims, and Contact Centres receive over 93,000 calls.

Jobcentre Plus: Manpower

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many personal advisers have been working in each Jobcentre Plus district in each month of the last two years.

Jim Knight: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many personal advisers have been working in each Jobcentre Plus District in each month of the last two years. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The available information showing the number of personal advisers in each Jobcentre Plus District in each month from November 2006 to October 2008 is in the attached tables. This information will be placed in the Library.
	
		
			  Jobcentre Plus  personal advisers  by month and  d istrict November 2006 to March 2007 
			   2006  2007 
			   November  December  January  February  March 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 167 167 167 167 164 
			 Cambridgeshire and Suffolk 151 151 150 150 151 
			 Essex 206 205 201 201 194 
			 Norfolk 114 112 111 113 110 
			 Derbyshire 134 134 136 137 137 
			 Leicestershire and Northamptonshire 163 162 165 165 163 
			 Lincolnshire and Rutland 69 67 69 70 70 
			 Nottinghamshire 138 137 135 135 135 
			 Central London 153 161 162 154 157 
			 City and East London 213 211 210 203 198 
			 Lambeth Southwark and Wandsworth 206 214 215 207 208 
			 North and North East London 344 340 333 330 324 
			 South London 342 337 348 347 347 
			 West London 291 290 290 291 292 
			 Northumbria 198 220 208 210 188 
			 South Tyne and Wear Valley 186 186 185 184 183 
			 Tees Valley 160 160 161 161 159 
			 Cheshire and Warrington 95 94 95 93 92 
			 Cumbria 84 76 75 75 75 
			 Greater Manchester Central 216 209 210 211 203 
			 Greater Manchester East and West 270 272 278 280 274 
			 Greater Mersey 166 162 161 162 162 
			 Lancashire 257 258 257 261 263 
			 Liverpool and Wirral 192 195 194 194 191 
			 Ayrshire Dumfries and Galloway and Inverclyde 148 147 151 150 147 
			 Edinburgh and Lothian and Borders 141 142 143 141 138 
			 Forth Valley Fife and Tayside 194 194 191 188 186 
			 Glasgow 174 164 166 160 157 
			 Highland Islands Clyde Coast and Grampian 193 195 201 195 192 
			 Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire 159 159 159 160 155 
			 Berks Bucks and Oxfordshire 159 159 162 161 160 
			 Hampshire 187 183 175 169 162 
			 Kent 196 203 200 201 202 
			 Surrey and Sussex 229 227 228 233 228 
			 Devon and Cornwall 231 228 228 224 210 
			 Dorset and Somerset 127 127 126 120 121 
			 Gloucestershire Wiltshire and Swindon 121 118 117 121 119 
			 West of England 143 142 145 148 147 
			 North and Mid Wales 103 101 100 100 98 
			 South East Wales 136 137 137 137 134 
			 South Wales Valleys 132 132 130 125 125 
			 South West Wales 122 123 126 122 124 
			 Birmingham and Solihull 252 256 262 263 263 
			 Black Country 231 223 221 220 215 
			 Coventry and Warwickshire 92 93 94 93 91 
			 Staffordshire 139 133 142 142 141 
			 The Marches 138 137 140 140 138 
			 North and East Yorkshire and the Humber 239 239 237 235 232 
			 South Yorkshire 239 233 226 224 219 
			 West Yorkshire 357 352 355 354 349 
		
	
	
		
			  Personal advisers by month and district April 2007 to March 2008 
			   2007 
			   April  May  June  July  August  September 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 165 165 166 168 166 164 
			 Cambridgeshire and Suffolk 148 147 147 147 147 148 
			 Essex 193 195 196 197 199 200 
			 Norfolk 108 109 106 104 103 109 
			 Derbyshire 179 175 172 162 162 166 
			 Leicestershire and Northamptonshire 171 168 170 170 174 175 
			 Lincolnshire and Rutland 68 69 69 70 70 69 
			 Nottinghamshire 138 140 139 138 139 141 
			 Central London 154 154 153 150 151 154 
			 City and East London 203 199 188 192 194 200 
			 Lambeth Southwark and Wandsworth 218 213 209 209 210 210 
			 North and North East London 357 355 354 338 333 333 
			 South London 390 387 388 395 393 399 
			 West London 274 277 275 267 263 264 
			 Northumbria 217 222 223 219 221 219 
			 South Tyne and Wear Valley 236 229 231 234 232 235 
			 Tees Valley 165 164 161 160 163 159 
			 Cheshire Halton and Warrington 131 132 133 131 128 129 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 356 356 352 352 330 340 
			 Greater Manchester Central 236 241 233 230 228 231 
			 Greater Manchester East and West 274 270 267 268 271 281 
			 Merseyside 367 361 362 362 363 348 
			 Ayrshire Dumfries and Galloway and Inverclyde 151 150 150 149 148 150 
			 Edinburgh and Lothian and Borders 139 138 135 136 139 138 
			 Forth Valley Fife and Tayside 194 195 195 193 191 194 
			 Glasgow 156 157 153 154 156 155 
			 Highland Islands Clyde Coast and Grampian 205 206 206 204 203 198 
			 Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire 159 156 154 157 155 158 
			 Berks Bucks and Oxfordshire 165 166 164 170 171 172 
			 Hampshire 163 159 160 161 158 160 
			 Kent 197 197 198 193 191 194 
			 Surrey and Sussex 220 219 219 223 220 222 
			 Devon and Cornwall 212 212 214 209 214 216 
			 Dorset and Somerset 147 145 143 144 141 140 
			 Gloucestershire Wiltshire and Swindon 119 120 118 118 117 117 
			 West of England 147 143 142 143 143 136 
			 North and Mid Wales 99 101 104 103 103 104 
			 South East Wales 131 131 135 130 131 130 
			 South Wales Valleys 156 155 154 154 155 154 
			 South West Wales 142 140 140 141 140 139 
			 Birmingham and Solihull 265 265 264 260 261 279 
			 Black Country 223 220 221 225 225 223 
			 Coventry and Warwickshire 91 92 92 95 95 95 
			 Staffordshire 150 149 150 150 153 151 
			 The Marches 133 134 130 129 135 136 
			 North and East Yorkshire and the Humber 247 243 242 241 242 244 
			 South Yorkshire 238 242 239 245 242 255 
			 West Yorkshire 360 360 370 379 381 384 
		
	
	
		
			   2007  2008 
			   Octobe r  November  December  January  February  March 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 165 168 169 168 166 163 
			 Cambridgeshire and Suffolk 149 152 152 153 152 147 
			 Essex 199 202 200 199 197 196 
			 Norfolk 107 107 108 110 109 108 
			 Derbyshire 161 156 153 151 151 149 
			 Leicestershire and Northamptonshire 181 182 186 190 188 186 
			 Lincolnshire and Rutland 68 67 73 75 76 75 
			 Nottinghamshire 140 143 142 141 139 138 
			 Central London 151 151 149 151 143 136 
			 City and East London 201 199 199 197 200 199 
			 Lambeth Southwark and Wandsworth 206 204 203 208 214 216 
			 North and North East London 332 326 324 323 328 336 
			 South London 377 351 340 339 331 332 
			 West London 254 262 263 261 259 257 
			 Northumbria 211 206 208 212 209 204 
			 South Tyne and Wear Valley 236 240 240 244 241 233 
			 Tees Valley 160 167 166 169 164 157 
			 Cheshire Halton and Warrington 130 130 129 127 125 126 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 342 344 345 335 332 331 
			 Greater Manchester Central 231 226 224 208 207 209 
			 Greater Manchester East and West 281 282 289 293 295 290 
			 Merseyside 346 346 342 349 338 333 
			 Ayrshire Dumfries and Galloway and Inverclyde 151 149 149 150 150 148 
			 Edinburgh and Lothian and Borders 140 133 132 127 126 125 
			 Forth Valley Fife and Tayside 193 191 193 190 186 184 
			 Glasgow 160 161 161 161 159 158 
			 Highland Islands Clyde Coast and Grampian 198 201 198 198 196 193 
			 Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire 159 156 154 153 152 147 
			 Berks Bucks and Oxfordshire 170 168 170 174 179 178 
			 Hampshire 166 168 169 169 165 168 
			 Kent 196 202 203 205 204 204 
			 Surrey and Sussex 216 215 209 209 208 204 
			 Devon and Cornwall 214 217 221 219 217 213 
			 Dorset and Somerset 138 137 136 138 135 133 
			 Gloucestershire Wiltshire and Swindon 119 120 121 119 118 119 
			 West of England 134 131 130 129 129 128 
			 North and Mid Wales 104 104 104 102 103 103 
			 South East Wales 130 134 131 130 131 127 
			 South Wales Valleys 154 152 148 146 145 143 
			 South West Wales 137 135 133 132 135 136 
			 Birmingham and Solihull 298 296 294 296 294 296 
			 Black Country 231 233 231 233 230 230 
			 Coventry and Warwickshire 98 103 103 104 102 104 
			 Staffordshire 150 150 156 151 147 146 
			 The Marches 129 133 130 129 131 133 
			 North and East Yorkshire and the Humber 243 236 243 251 248 249 
			 South Yorkshire 254 260 265 262 265 258 
			 West Yorkshire 380 381 393 398 400 395

Jobseeker's Allowance

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate her Department has made of the expected additional on-flows onto jobseeker's allowance owing to the  (a) introduction of the employment and support allowance and  (b) winding up of the income support scheme in each quarter in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11.

Jim Knight: holding answer 1 June 2009
	Information about the estimated additional on-flows to jobseeker's allowance as a result of employment and support allowance replacing incapacity benefit for new claims from October 2008 is in the following table.
	
		
			  Estimated on-flows to  jobseeker's allowance 
			   Number 
			 May 2009 3,000 
			 August 2009 3,000 
			 November 2009 2,000 
			 February 2010 3,000 
			 May 2010 3,000 
			 August 2010. 3,000 
			 November 2010 3,000 
			 February 2011 3,000 
			  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000. 
		
	
	There are currently no plans to move any groups off Income Support in the quarters referred to other than lone parents with older children.

Local Employment Partnerships

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each age group have been placed in employment through the Local Employment Partnership scheme in the last six months.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 8 June 2009
	Figures for people moving into work through the Local Employment Partnership scheme by age group are not available.
	Jobcentre Plus's administrative records show that more than 100,000 people were helped into work through Local Employment Partnerships in the six months from November 2008 to the end of April 2009.

New Deal for Young People: Suffolk

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Suffolk registered for the New Deal for Young People in the last 12 months.

Jim Knight: In the 12 months up to and including November 2008 1,410 people entered the New Deal for Young People (NDYP) in Suffolk. This figure represents the number of individuals to have started NDYP for the most recent year available.
	The figure is rounded to the nearest 10. It should be noted that some individuals may have started the New Deal more than once.

Poverty: Merseyside

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in  (a) Merseyside and  (b) Crosby constituency were in relative poverty in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: Poverty statistics, published in the Households Below Average Income series, only allow a breakdown of the overall number of people in relative poverty at Government office region level or for inner or outer London. Therefore, information for Merseyside and the Crosby constituency is not available.

Social Security Benefits

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit offices were in operation in each year since 1998; and how many offices scheduled for closure in each such year had the closure suspended.

Jim Knight: holding answer 18 June 2009
	 The administration of Jobcentre Plus is the responsibility of the acting chief executive, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Ruth Owen:
	The Secretary of State has asked Mel Groves to reply to your question asking how many benefit offices have been open in each year since 1998; and how many offices scheduled for closure in each such year had the closure suspended. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mel Groves as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. As Mel Groves is currently on annual leave, I am replying in his absence.
	Information is only available on Jobcentre Plus offices since April 2002, when Jobcentre Plus was created by the merger of the former Employment Service and Benefits Agency. I have attached a table at Annex 1 of the available information.
	Jobcentre Plus inherited around 1,500 offices from the merger of the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service in 2002. We have modernised our Jobcentre network to improve customer service, rationalising our estate to provide excellent high street coverage and a single, integrated customer facing office, at the same time reducing cost to the tax payer. We remain the largest office network in Government with 741 modern Jobcentres. This high street presence is supported by 31 modern, industry standard, contact centres and 79 main benefit processing centres.
	Jobcentres continue to provide an essential serviceespecially to those customers most in need of tailored help. However, the great majority of our services (in common with most large, modern organisations) are now also delivered through the telephone and internet. For example, to give customers more convenient access we have around half a million vacancies on-line at any time (our website receives close to one million job searches every working day), and new claims to benefit are predominantly taken by telephone with some taken on-line.
	Wherever we have considered the closure of a public facing office we have undertaken a full consultation with local stakeholders, including MPs. When finalising our Service Delivery Plans, our District Managers take account of this consultation and may, in the light of that consultation, decide not to pursue closure. We do not retain records of offices that remain open following a consultation exercise, but, in the light of the current economic conditions and welfare reform changes planned for the next two to three years a decision was taken in November 2008 to suspend the closure of 25 Jobcentres which were being considered for closure. Three small offices in London, where closure had been previously announced, subsequently closed this year. There will be no new Jobcentre closures while the current economic conditions exist.
	 Annex 1
	
		
			  Jobcentre Plus offices open to the public now all modernised: 2002 to date( 1) 
			January 
			  Region  Currently  2009  2008  2007  2006  2005  2004  2003  2002 
			 East of England 57 57 66 67 72 84 85 90 90 
			 East Midlands 53 53 54 56 69 71 75 83 83 
			 London 74 77 80 90 114 121 132 138 139 
			 North East 45 45 47 49 53 60 64 65 65 
			 North West 97 97 104 112 129 139 153 160 160 
			 Scotland 99 99 100 103 125 139 150 153 153 
			 South East 74 74 77 82 97 107 121 123 123 
			 South West 57 57 79 83 91 102 114 118 118 
			 Wales 63 63 63 64 87 95 108 111 111 
			 West Midlands 63 63 67 79 98 105 108 115 116 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 59 59 60 61 68 79 87 88 88 
			 Totals of all regions 741 744 797 846 1,003 1,102 1,197 1,244 1,246 
			 (1) Prior to implementing our network of Benefit Delivery Centres, from April 2006, many sites delivered both customer facing and benefit processing services. This table reflects the rationalisation of the former network of Employment Service and Benefit Agency offices right through to the current network where all offices are integrated Job Centre offices.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Environment Agency: Manpower

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) directors,  (b) senior managers,  (c) specialist and delivery managers and  (d) executive support and administration staff there were in each Environment Agency office in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table shows the information requested broken down by each Environment Agency region. It also includes figures for its head office. The information has been provided in this way because the Environment Agency has over 250 offices.
	
		
			  Analysis 
			  Based on organisation region  Grouping  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Anglian Director 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Senior manager 6 8 7 7 8 
			  Manager 43 37 40 42 45 
			  Specialist 21 21 21 25 33 
			  Executive support and administration staff 24 19 19 14 17 
			
			 Midlands Director 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Senior manager 8 8 9 8 8 
			  Manager 43 37 39 34 40 
			  Specialist 18 17 21 18 22 
			  Executive support and administration staff 12 16 15 12 14 
			
			 North East Director 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Senior manager 7 7 7 6 7 
			  Manager 38 34 36 39 39 
			  Specialist 20 22 22 23 19 
			  Executive support and administration staff 20 20 19 16 15 
			
			 North West Director 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Senior manager 7 7 6 6 7 
			  Manager 44 40 43 39 40 
			  Specialist 31 33 33 34 39 
			  Executive support and administration staff 9 10 10 9 10 
			
			 Southern Director 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Senior manager 7 6 7 7 6 
			  Manager 36 31 35 35 40 
			  Specialist 9 8 13 13 18 
			  Executive support and administration staff 8 8 8 9 10 
			
			 South West Director 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Senior manager 8 10 7 7 7 
			  Manager 44 33 33 37 34 
			  Specialist 12 12 16 14 18 
			  Executive support and administration staff 14 15 13 13 13 
			
			 Thames Director 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Senior manager 10 8 8 8 10 
			  Manager 56 59 71 73 77 
			  Specialist 30 30 41 37 35 
			  Executive support and administration staff 16 23 21 27 21 
			
			 Wales Director 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Senior manager 8 8 6 7 9 
			  Manager 51 55 59 59 59 
			  Specialist 19 24 26 28 35 
			  Executive support and administration staff 13 12 13 12 12 
			
			 Head Office Director 8 8 7 8 8 
			  Senior manager 74 87 95 96 99 
			  Manager 395 428 464 475 548 
			  Specialist 353 378 407 406 464 
			  Executive support and administration staff 99 95 86 79 73 
			
			 Overall Total Director 8 8 7 8 8 
			  Senior manager 135 149 152 152 161 
			  Manager 750 754 820 833 922 
			  Specialist 513 545 600 598 683 
			  Executive support and administration staff 215 218 204 191 185

Forests

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the policy of the Forestry Commission England is on the re-creation of  (a) lowland heathland and  (b) other open habitats on its estate; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Forestry Commission is leading a process to develop the policy on restoring and expanding open habitats such as lowland heathland from woods and forests in England. The Forestry Commission completed a public consultation on the open habitats policy in June 2009 which received over 170 responses. A report on the consultation will be published in the summer and I expect to receive recommendations on policy options in the autumn.
	The approach followed on the public forest estate will then reflect our decisions on the policy options as well as and conclusions from the study of the long-term role of the Public Forest Estate announced in November 2008.

Forests

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the area of plantation forest in the public forest estate which could be restored to  (a) lowland heathland and  (b) blanket bog.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The Forestry Commission published the results of a survey of open habitats and open habitat potential on the public forest estate in May 2009. The survey shows that the area of plantation forest that could be restored to lowland heathland as 29,433 hectares and the area of plantation forest that could be restored to blanket bog as 1,794 hectares.

Forests

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has of the area of  (a) lowland heathland and  (b) blanket bog which (i) Forestry Commission England and (ii) other public bodies have restored since 2005.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The area of lowland heathland and blanket bog restored by the Forestry Commission on the public forest estate since 2005 is 672 hectares and 315 hectares respectively. We do not hold the information centrally on other public bodies. However, Natural England has entered into Environmental Stewardship agreements with landowners to restore 12,763 hectares of lowland heathland and 24,795 hectares of blanket bog.

WALES

Departmental Pay

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department has submitted a bid for efficiency savings to be used for pay improvements in 2009 pay offers.

Peter Hain: Pay offers are not negotiated at Wales Office level as staff in the Wales Office are employed by the Ministry of Justice or the Welsh Assembly Government.

Olympic Games 2012

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether any full-time equivalent members of staff in his Department are working on projects relating to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Peter Hain: As part of their duties a number of my officials (together with colleagues from the Welsh Assembly Government) have and continue to work towards maximising Wales' contribution to a successful London 2012.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Debts

Jim Cousins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the Government plan to introduce a  (a) debt arrangement scheme and  (b) low income low assets bankruptcy scheme.

Ian Lucas: Addressing financial problems at an early stage is essential to identifying a sustainable solution to an individual's problems. Part 5 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act (TCEA) 2007 contained a series of measures to support those debtors for whom the current statutory provisions of bankruptcy and individual voluntary arrangements may not be the best option.
	One of these was a low income, low asset bankruptcy scheme, which was introduce into the Insolvency Act 1986 on 6 April 2009 and is known as a Debt Relief Order (DRO).
	The TCEA 2007 also contains powers for the Lord Chancellor to introduce statutory debt management schemes that could have similar features to the debt assistance scheme.
	The implementation of part 5 of the TCEA 2007 is currently being reviewed and an announcement is expected to be made shortly.

Internet: Iran

David Lidington: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will restrict or prohibit the supply to Iran by UK companies of technologies capable of use to monitor, inspect or filter internet content.

Ian Lucas: holding answer 25 June 2009
	There are currently no plans to restrict further or prohibit the supply to Iran by UK companies of technologies capable of use to monitor, inspect or filter internet content. The export of these technologies would already be controlled if they employed cryptography or were specially designed for military use. In such cases, all export licence applications are rigorously assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria and a licence would not be issued if to do so was inconsistent with the criteria. In particular a licence would not be issued if there was clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression.

Jordan: Overseas Trade

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to encourage trade between Jordan and the UK.

Ian Lucas: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) provide a range of support services to UK companies wishing to trade with Jordan. These are detailed on the UKTI web pages.
	Specific events that have been supported by UKTI in the last year to encourage trade between Jordan and the UK include:
	two education events in October 2008 and February to promote the opportunities in Jordan to UK companies;
	a trade mission with UK health care companies to Jordan in February;
	a joint event with the Arab British Chamber of Commerce to promote the opportunities in Jordan to UK companies;
	several regional Gulf events such as Arab Health and the Big 5 (construction) exhibitions where UK companies could access information about doing business in Jordan.

Jordan: Overseas Trade

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much trade there was between Jordan and the UK in the last five years.

Ian Lucas: The value of goods exported to Jordan in 2004 amounted to 161 million, in 2005 186 million, in 2006 160 million, in 2007 164 million and in 2008 210 million.
	The value of goods imported from Jordan in 2004 amounted to 20 million, in 2005 22 million, in 2006 20 million, in 2007 37 million and in 2008 21 million.

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 2 April 2009,  Official Report, column 1446W, on motor industry: government assistance, whether his Department has received applications for the provision of guarantees for European Investment Bank loans to UK automotive companies under the Automotive Assistance Programme.

Ian Lucas: The Government remain committed to providing guarantees, where appropriate, to help unlock up to 1.3 billion in European investment bank loans to UK automotive companies. While no guarantees have at this stage been provided, BIS is actively supporting the EIB applications of a number of UK automotive companies and stands ready to offer a guarantee where necessary and in accordance with the published criteria for the Automotive Assistance Programme.

Regulatory Policy Committee

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what date he has set for the appointment of members to his Department's proposed regulatory policy committee; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Lucas: Members will be appointed to the new Regulatory Policy Committee in the coming months.

Regulatory Policy Committee

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the  (a) establishment and  (b) operation of his Department's proposed regulatory policy committee.

Ian Lucas: Estimates on the establishment and the operation of the new Regulatory Policy Committee will be made in due course.

Science: Education

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what research his Department and its predecessors have  (a) undertaken and  (b) commissioned in the last three years on the effect of Government-funded science awareness initiatives on the number of young people studying courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: There is good evidence that participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) enrichment activities improves young people's progression in science education. A recent OECD study Science Competencies for tomorrow's world (PISA 2006) shows that students in schools that hold more extracurricular science activities tend to perform better than their counterparts in schools that run fewer activities. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and its predecessor departments have funded a number of initiatives with the specific aim of providing enrichment and enhancement activities for young people, thereby increasing numbers taking these subjects at GCSE level and beyond.
	We have undertaken several studies on the impact of those Government-funded initiatives whose aim is to increase the numbers of young people studying STEM subjects. It is not usually possible to prove a quantitative causal link between any one initiative and impact on numbers, because many factors affect the decision-making process when choosing specific courses.
	 Recent studies include:
	An evaluation of SETNET (now STEMNET), published in 2007, carried out by the Tavistock Institute. STEMNET has recently commissioned a follow-up evaluation, which will be published next year.
	In July 2008, DIUS commissioned a study on the impact of science centres on both numbers studying STEM and wider public engagement with science. Science centres in England are principally funded by users and regional or charitable bodies, rather than by central Government. The research compares the contribution of science centres to STEM objective with that of a number of Government-funded initiatives, including STEMNET's STEM ambassadors programme, outreach work of the Royal Academy of Engineering (including the London Engineering Programme), Research Councils UK, and the British Science Association (including the CREST Star Investigator programme). This research will be published shortly.
	In January 2009 DIUS published a report on the Demand for STEM skills which reviewed the evidence from employers on STEM recruitment alongside analysis of the supply of young people with STEM qualifications and their labour market outcomes. The report included recent trends of STEM qualifications at A Level, First Degree and Postgraduate levels. In addition, DIUS commissioned the Warwick Institute of Employment Research to provide some benchmark projections and associated implications of the demand and supply of STEM graduates. These studies identify the important contribution made by STEM enrichment activities in stimulating interest among young people and their increased attractiveness to employers which results.
	On 26 May 2009, DIUS launched a Science and Society strategy, which tackles the five key themes identified in last year's public consultation. In so doing we will develop a more coherent approach to evaluating the impacts of science and society initiatives, including those related to STEM enrichment and enhancement, and the take-up of STEM courses by young people.

Setanta

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has received on  (a) the placing into administration of Setanta and  (b) the future financial position of (i) Setanta and (ii) its employees; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Lucas: holding answer 29 June 2009
	The company approached the Department on 28 May to seek our influence with certain commercial stakeholders to help facilitate rescue discussions. Although we were unable to intervene in commercial discussions, officials kept in contact with the company throughout the period in which it was attempting to agree a rescue deal.
	The administrators are shutting down the company's UK operation and have made 102 London-based staff redundant, along with a further 73 staff in Glasgow. They are keeping on another 21 staff in the short-term to help close the business down; 15 in London and six in Glasgow. Setanta's sales team is outsourced and I understand that the loss of Setanta's contract will result in around 95 redundancies at the out-sourcing company.

Students: Loans

David Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much of the student loan book has been sold under the provisions of the Sale of Student Loans Act 2008.

David Lammy: The Government still intend to make sales from the student loan book, but it is clear that this should be done only at a time when we can get a good return for the taxpayer. For the time being, the market conditions do not allow this. However, we will actively look to identify opportunities for a sale that represents value for money as market conditions improve.

UK Trade and Investment: Offices

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many staff of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) have been based in each UKTI office in  (a) Brazil,  (b) Russia,  (c) India and  (d) China in each year since 2003.

Ian Lucas: The following table reflects the allocation of UKTI full-time equivalent staff in Brazil, Russia, India and China each year since 2008.
	
		
			   2003-4  2004-5  2005-6  2006-7  2007-8  2008-9 
			 Brazil 51.11 39.13 39 33.65 38.15 38.18 
			 Russia 17.19 17.92 16 25.75 29.30 29.30 
			 India 81.26 76.12 76.34 73.98 80.42 86.30 
			 China(1) (including Hong Kong) 87.74 94.63 98.75 113.47 116.81 116.47 
			 (1) In addition to the total given for China, since June 2007 17.5 full-time equivalent staff of the China Britain Business Council based in China have delivered, on behalf of UKTI, the majority of trade services in respect of China.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Armed Forces

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he received the latest Theatre Capability Review for Afghanistan; and what change in the number of troops the review recommended.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 25 June 2009
	We regularly assess the military capability required for operations in Afghanistan; periodic theatre capability reviews are one element of this assessment process. Following the most recent assessment submitted to Ministers, the Prime Minister announced on 29 April 2009,  Official Report, column 869, the deployment of additional troops to provide extra security during the Afghan election period, improve force protection particularly against improvised explosive devices and to command the International Security Assistance Forces' Regional Command (South).

Armed Forces: Health Services

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many patients have received treatment under his Department's contract with the Priory Group in each year of its operation; and what the cost of the contract has been in each such year.

Kevan Jones: The information requested, up until 31 March 2009, can be found in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of patients treated  Contract value ( million) 
			 1 December 2003 to 31 March 2004 58 0.4 
			 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005 321 4.2 
			 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006 351 4.5 
			 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 305 3.4 
			 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 289 3.9 
			 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 284 3.3 
		
	
	These figures take into account the cost of assessing patients as well as any treatment programmes provided; the individual care needs of each patient will vary depending on their particular medical circumstances. They also include services provided by the Priory Group between 1 December 2003 and April 2004 prior to the formal contract start date.
	The contract with the Priory Group has been replaced by a new one, awarded in November 2008 following open competition, with a partnership of seven NHS trusts led by South Staffordshire and Shropshire NHS Foundation Trust. This ensures coverage across the country, and complements the community-based approach we follow for our out-patients who are seen at our regional military mental health centres.

Armed Forces: Mental Health Services

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what progress his Department has made on arrangements to meet the mental health needs of veterans; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many community veterans' mental health therapists there were in each region of  (a) England,  (b) Scotland,  (c) Wales and  (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what funding  (a) his Department and  (b) the Department of Health has provided to each of the community veterans mental health pilots in each year since their inception; and how much has been allocated to each in the next two years;
	(4)  how many veterans have used each of the community veterans mental health pilots in each year since their inception;
	(5)  what progress there has been on the pilots to examine ways of meeting the needs of veterans with mental health problems announced in 2007.

Kevan Jones: Veterans' health care has been the responsibility of the national health service (NHS) since 1948. The MOD is committed to good mental health and well-being for its personnel both in service and after.
	While it appears that most veterans use community wide NHS service provision satisfactorily, including for mental health, the Government have taken a number of specific steps to meet the needs of veterans with mental health issues. These steps include creating the Reservists Mental Health Programme, open to any current or former member of the UK Volunteer and Regular Reserves who has been demobilised since 1 January 2003; the Medical Assessment Programme available to veterans deployed on operations since 1982; and more recently engaging with the four UK Health Departments and the ex-service charities in piloting a new best practice, culturally sensitive, mental health care service for veterans in six NHS trusts across the UK.
	Each of the six pilots across the UK are operational and being led by a Community Veterans' Mental Health Therapist. The early take up results of the pilots suggest that veterans are willing to access the service, however the numbers making use of the service are currently being validated and are not yet available. An independent evaluation of the pilots is currently under way with a final report due in 2011. Outcomes will include the range of disorders and the level of demand to inform future service planning and subsequent roll out nationwide.

Departmental Information and Communications Technology

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the amount to be paid by his Department to the company awarded the contract to deliver increment 3a of the Defence Information Infrastructure programme.

Quentin Davies: No contract has yet been awarded and any estimate of payment is subject to ongoing negotiations and as such is commercially sensitive and cannot be released at this stage.

Departmental Information and Communications Technology

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on the redundancy costs of ATLAS staff working on the Defence Information Infrastructure programme to date.

Quentin Davies: The value of payments to ATLAS in respect of those members of staff who occupied in-scope posts, transferred to ATLAS under TUPE arrangements and subsequently made redundant, is between 5 million and 6 million.

Economic and Monetary Union

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what activities have been undertaken by his Department's Euro Minister in that capacity.

Bill Rammell: The Ministry of Defence does not have a specific Minister for Europe. The Secretary of State for Defence has responsibility for NATO and European Security and Defence Policy issues, supported by the Minister for International Defence and Security, Baroness Taylor. Both the Secretary of State and Minister (IDS) have attended meetings of EU Defence Ministers under successive EU presidencies, where discussion typically focuses on issues of operations, capabilities and partnerships.

Equipment: Procurement

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the acquisition of rights over design information and assured access to relevant design knowledge in respect of procurement of  (a) armoured fighting vehicles,  (b) fixed wing piloted aircraft,  (c) helicopters,  (d) unmanned aerial vehicles,  (e) ships,  (f) submarines,  (g) electronic equipment and programmes and  (h) other purchases.

Quentin Davies: holding answer 29 June 2009
	The MOD's general approach to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) is to leave ownership of rights in design information with industry and to secure access and user rights in that information. There is a series of MOD standardised contract conditions (IPR DEFCONs) that are available to secure these rights under contract. However, our approach on an individual project may vary, according to its specific requirements. Details of MOD's IPR policy are publicly available as part of the Acquisition Operating Framework at:
	www.aof.mod.uk/aofcontent/tactical/toolkit/downloads/ipr_ov/iprpol.pdf
	Earlier this month I announced the launch of MOD's new Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV) sector strategy, 23 June 2009,  Official Report, column 52WS. For this sector, we will in future in principle wish to acquire at the outset rights over design information, as well as assured access to relevant design knowledge, sufficient to allow third party modification of designs where appropriate, and to permit routine maintenance repair and overhaul activities.
	The MOD continues to develop a number of industrial sector strategies, under the umbrella of the Defence Industrial Strategy 2005. We expect to make announcements about these, including any relevant IPR issues, as they mature.

Pakistan: Military Aid

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK military personnel are deployed in Pakistan; and what duties they are undertaking.

Bill Rammell: I can confirm that there are currently 31 UK military personnel based in Pakistan undertaking a variety of roles including training, liaison and diplomatic duties. The number of military personnel based in Pakistan varies from time to time. This can be for a variety of reasons, including revised tasking and changes to previous roles.

Type 45 Destroyers

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the launch of the Type 45 destroyer has been delayed; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: The Government have previously acknowledged that the original estimates of the Type 45 destroyers in-service dates were overly optimistic. These judgments were made in the early period of the programme's life when the ship design was still relatively immature. Since a review of the programme and subsequent renegotiation of the contract in 2007, Type 45 has made strong progress, achieving a series of critical programme milestones without any further time or cost overruns.

Veterans Forum

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times the Veterans Forum has met in each year since its establishment; and which Ministers and officials from  (a) the Government and  (b) the devolved administrations have been present at each meeting.

Kevan Jones: The Veterans Forum has met 18 times since its establishment in 2002 and currently meets bi-annually. It is chaired by the Under-Secretary of State and Minister for Veterans, and is attended by a number of officials from the Ministry of Defence, including single service representatives. Representatives are also invited from other Government Departments including the Department for Health; Children, Schools and Families; Communities and Local Government; as well as from each of the Devolved Administrations. A number of ex-service organisations are also in attendance making the total number of attendees more than 30 at each meeting.

TRANSPORT

A419

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Highways Agency on required improvements to the A419 between Nettleton Bottom and Brockworth, Gloucestershire.

Chris Mole: The proposed A419 Cowley to Brockworth Improvement Scheme has been considered by the South West Region as part of its refresh of regional funding priorities. The region has not included the scheme in their forward programme of priorities up to 2019 and I am currently considering their advice.

Bus Lanes: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent representations he has received on funding for the construction of bus lanes in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport received advice in February 2009 from the East of England region on its transport priorities in the period up to 2018-19 as part of its Regional Funding Advice to Government. This includes proposals for investment in Essex for bus-based schemes such as South Essex Rapid Transit and the A13 Passenger Transport Corridor. The Department expects to be in a position to respond to this advice in the next few weeks.

Buses: Concessions

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of provision of free bus travel for the elderly; and if he will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: The Government are now providing around 1 billion each year to support the statutory minimum concession which improves social inclusion for older and eligible disabled people who can now travel free on local buses at off-peak times in any part of England. The Government are very confident in the adequacy of this statutory minimum. The provision of services over the network of bus routes and their frequency is for operators to decide as most services are run on a commercial basis. Where a commercial service is not considered viable, local authorities may contract with bus operators to provide services.

Channel Tunnel Railway Line

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent progress has been made towards the introduction of a direct high-speed rail service between London and Amsterdam.

Chris Mole: The Government are currently engaged in a restructuring of London and Continental Railways. Following this, it is the Government's intention, as market conditions allow, to sell, via an open and competitive auction, a long-term concession for High Speed 1 in such a way as to maximise value for money for the taxpayer.
	High Speed 1 is incentivised to maximise usage of the line, and to help operators develop new international services. London to Amsterdam is a large market under consideration by train operators. Operators that wish to utilise High Speed 1 will negotiate access rights with the holder of the concession to operate the railway.

Crossrail Line: Contracts

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport which Crossrail contracts awarded for  (a) the Crossrail Programme Partner,  (b) the Crossrail Delivery Partner,  (c) the DfT Programme Partner and  (d) the Network Rail Delivery Partner were awarded to (i) US companies, (ii) UK companies and (iii) other companies; which were subject to open tender; and if he will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: holding answer 29 June 2009
	The Programme Partner and Delivery Partner contracts were awarded by Crossrail Ltd., the Project Representative contract was awarded by the Department in conjunction with TfL, and the Network Rail Delivery Partner contract was awarded by Network Rail.
	The Crossrail contracts referred to above were awarded as shown in the following table. All of the contracts in the table were awarded under European procurement rules.
	
		
			  Client  Contract  Awarded to  Supplier country of origin 
			 Crossrail Ltd.  (a) Crossrail Programme Partner TranscendJoint Venture between AECOM, CH2M Hill and The Nichols Group AECOMUS CH2M GroupUS NicholsUK 
			 Crossrail Ltd.  (b) Crossrail Delivery Partner Bechtel Ltd. US 
			 DfT/TfL  (c) Project Representative Jacobs Engineering Ltd. US 
			 Network Rail  (d) Network Rail Delivery Partner Bechtel Ltd. US 
		
	
	All contracts of this scale are subject to the European rules on procurement which require contracts to be advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union where any supplier that wishes to do so can express an interest, thus attracting the widest possible field of prospective bidders.
	Under the restricted procedure interested suppliers are narrowed down, usually by means of some kind of qualifying questionnaire, to a shortlist from which suppliers are invited to tender.

Cycling: Schools

John Leech: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport in how many  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools there is a cycling safety programme which has been approved by his Department.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport provides advice on safer cycling for children of all ages on its Think website.
	The Department also funds cycle training in schools. Grants are available for local authorities and school sports partnerships for national standard cycle training promoted as Bikeability training in England. The decision on which schools take part is for individual local authority and school sports partnerships to determine. We do not therefore hold information about which schools have taken part to date, though we do plan to ask for it in the future as the delivery in schools expands. To date we have funded around 146,000 training places and have made grants of around 10 million available in 2009-10 to fund over 200,000 places.
	Safety may also be covered in a school's travel plan. Every school should have a travel plan by March 2010. We do not hold data on which plans include any safety aspect.

Cycling: Schools

John Leech: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many local authorities were funding a cycling safety programme in schools on the latest date for which figures are available.

Sadiq Khan: Most local authorities fund some form of cycle training in their schools usually through their Local Transport Plan funding. Not all of it is National Standard training (see reply to PQ 2588 08/09).
	We have in recent years supplemented local authority spend and funded schools direct through their School sports Partnerships to increase the number of children who can receive national standard training as part of our target of delivering an additional 500,000 training places by 2012.
	We announced cycle training grants amounting to 5.4 million earlier this year for 94 local authorities and our cycle demonstration towns. All bids for grant were awarded in full. This money will fund around 135,000 training places in addition to the estimated 100,000 being funded through our grants of 4 million to School Sports Partnerships. This builds on the 146,000 places we have already funded and goes a long way to meeting our 2012 target.

Cycling: Schools

John Leech: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport on what core criteria his Department approves school cycling safety programmes; and what account is taken of the inclusion of training in safety in relation to heavy goods vehicles in the approval of such programmes.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport only provides grant for cycle training that meets the National Standard, promoted as Bikeability training in England. We have made over 9 million available to local authorities and school sports partnerships to deliver the national standard in 2009-10.
	The National Standard replaces the old cycling proficiency and been designed and developed by leading experts in the road safety and cycling fields including RoSPA, Local Authority Road Safety Officers (LARSOA) and the Cyclists Touring Club. It is based on similar principles to lessons for motorcycles, allowing cyclists to assess risks and obstacles faced on the road. It involves a higher standard of cycle training, including an on-road element and is designed to give confidence and skills to deal with today's road conditions. It can only be delivered by qualified national standard trainers.
	The training consists of three levels:
	Level 1: aimed at 7-9 year olds-off road teaching of basic cycling and balance skills;
	Level 2: aimed at 10-11 years-on-road training building on the first level;
	Level 3: aimed at older children/adults-includes tackling difficult road features (e.g. roundabouts) and the safe use of cycle facilities.
	The National Standard deals with positioning and identifying the different hazards and road conditions cyclists may face on the road including being able to recognise the dangers that can be posed by large vehicles. Positioning and filtering is particularly important when sharing road space. Filtering allows a cyclist to move inside or outside of slow or stationary traffic but the choice to filter rests with the cyclist who needs to know how to judge when to filter. These skills are primarily taught at Level 3. Not filtering up the left of large vehicles at junctions is the main proviso cyclists are taught because the drivers of large vehicles have a blind spot on their nearside when turning left and the space there if occupied by a cyclist becomes closed.
	A number of local authorities and other organisations give advice to HGV drivers about sharing road space with cyclists.

Cycling: Schools

John Leech: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent discussions the Secretary of State has had with  (a) the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and  (b) the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on the efficient funding and delivery of cycling safety programmes in schools.

Sadiq Khan: None since the Secretary of State only recently took office. However both Department for Transport Ministers and officials here engage with Her Majesty's Government colleagues on these issues as necessary. Meetings are held regularly with the Department of Children, Schools and Families on the part increases in cycling, particularly cycling to school can play in improving the health and fitness of children as part of the Government's initiatives to reduce child obesity and increase physical activity.

Departmental Manpower

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2009,  Official Report, column 200W, on departmental manpower, what recent forecast his Department has made of the number of posts in each bargaining unit on 31 March 2010.

Chris Mole: The table shows the forecast change in headcount (permanent staff and those on fixed term contracts), expressed as full-time equivalents, between 31 March 2009 and 31 March 2010 in the centre of the Department for Transport and each of the Department's bargaining units.
	
		
			   Actual for 31 March 2009  Forecast for 31 March 2010  Change 
			 Department for Transport Centre 1,902 1,902 0 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 6,329 6,328 -1 
			 Driving Standards Agency 2,574 2,560 -14 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency 315 350 35 
			 Highways Agency 3,416 3,416 0 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 1,128 1,127 -1 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 136 144 8 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 2,638 2,679 41

Departmental Manpower

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what percentage of  (a) white and  (b) non-white staff received the highest performance marking in the core business units of (i) the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions and (ii) the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions in each year between 1997 and 2006.

Shahid Malik: I have been asked to reply.
	The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) and the Department for Transport were formed in 2002, from the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. ODPM then became the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) in 2006. CLG does not hold any data on performance management markings before 2002.

Departmental Manpower

John McDonnell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what percentage of  (a) white and  (b) non-white staff received the highest performance mark in his Department's 2008-09 reporting round.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport line management are in the process of meeting all permanent staff to deliver annual performance management reviews. Once this process is completed, the results will be collated and published as part of the Department's annual equality monitoring duties. The Department expects to finalise this process by November 2009.

Departmental Pay

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport which of his Department's  (a) agencies and  (b) non-departmental public bodies have submitted bids for efficiency savings to be used for pay improvements in 2009 pay offers.

Chris Mole: Within the Department for Transport, its agencies and associated non-departmental public bodies no bids for efficiency savings have been submitted to be used for pay improvements in 2009 pay offers.

Fuels: EU Law

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 427-8W, on diesel fuel: EU action, what information his Department holds on the applications  (a) made by and  (b) granted to member states for derogation from the Fuel Quality Directive 98/70 (EC) in respect of the sulphur content of fuel since its inception.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport is not aware of such a derogation ever having been either requested by or granted to a Member State. EU Fuel Quality Monitoring reports(1) suggest that, with the exception of transitional problems for two accession Member States in 2005, EU petrol and diesel are generally well within the mandatory sulphur content limits.
	(1)( )http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/intemal_market/single _market_for_goods/motor_vehicles/interactions_industry _policies/l28077_en.htm

Highways Agency

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much was paid in bonuses to  (a) directors,  (b) senior managers,  (c) specialist and delivery managers and  (d) executive support and administration staff in the Highways Agency in each of the last five years.

Chris Mole: Bonus payments to  (a) directors are managed by the central Department. A comprehensive breakdown of  (b) senior managers,  (c) specialist and delivery managers and  (d) executive support and administration staff in the Highways Agency can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, total figures for each of the last five financial years are as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  PB1-8 
			 2003-04 89,314 
			 2004-05 114,224 
			 2005-06 182,930 
			 2006-07 230,675 
			 2007-08 202,590

Ports: British Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent steps have been taken to strengthen security at seaports in British Overseas Territories.

Paul Clark: The security of seaports in the British Overseas Territories falls within the remit of the Transport Security and Contingencies Directorate (TRANSEC) within the Department for Transport. TRANSEC provides the Governors and port facility operators in each territory with advice and guidance on port security, based on the globally-adopted International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code).

Railway Stations: Disabled

David Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent estimate he has made of the number of mainline railway stations in London that do not have full step-free access.

Chris Mole: Studies carried out for the Strategic Rail Authority in 2005 showed that 254 railway stations in London did not provide full step free access. More detailed information about station facilities is held by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) and is available from the National Rail Enquiries Service at
	http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/search.html
	A programme of access audits is currently under way to update this information.

Railways: Franchises

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what requirement for train carriages to have windows able to be opened by passengers his Department specified in franchise agreements.

Chris Mole: There is no requirement for windows that can be opened in any franchise agreement.

Railways: Hearing Impaired

David Anderson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent discussions he has had with  (a) holders of rail franchises and  (b) other transport operators on the provisions they make for accessibility to their services by the deaf and hard of hearing.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport has not had recent discussions with rail franchisees, or other transport operators, about the way they provide their services to deaf and hard of hearing passengers. However, improving access to travel for disabled people is an ongoing objective of the Government, and the Department expects all service providers to consider the needs of deaf and hard of hearing passengers as required by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended).
	The Department for Transport sets out the strategy for improving access to rail transport in 'Railways for All: The Accessibility Strategy for Great Britain's Railways'. This strategy anticipates that holders of rail franchises will ensure their services improve access to travel for disabled passengers, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Railways: Maintenance

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many rail services of each train operating company were  (a) planned to run,  (b) cancelled and  (c) not in planned preventative maintenance in the last quarter of 2008-09.

Chris Mole: The number of rail services  (a) planned to run and  (b) cancelled in the last quarter of 2008-09 are shown in the following table by operating company:
	
		
			  Train operating company  (a) Number of trains planned  (b) Number of trains fully cancelled 
			 Arriva Trains Wales 75,583 179 
			 c2c 27,431 189 
			 National Express East Anglia 143,254 1,809 
			 Chiltern 25,642 156 
			 London Midland 83,202 2,235 
			 First Capital Connect 83,179 2,455 
			 First Great Western 112,848 1,796 
			 National Express East Coast 10,724 172 
			 Merseyrail 48,687 283 
			 Northern Rail 202,449 1,302 
			 Southeastern 130,308 3,569 
			 Southern 180,652 5,294 
			 Stagecoach Southwestern 141,893 3,161 
			 Trans Pennine Express 23,883 156 
			 Virgin Trains 20,576 896 
			 Crosscountry 22,327 236 
			 East Midlands Trains 34,929 222 
			 London Overground 32,540 440 
		
	
	The Department for Transport does not hold information on how many rail services of each train operating company were not in planned preventative maintenance in the last quarter of 2008-09.

Railways: West Midlands

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how much has been spent to increase rail capacity in the West Midlands since 2005.

Chris Mole: The information is not available in the form requested. Responsibility for delivering capacity enhancements on the railway rests with Network Rail who also fund any works.
	Government support for the railway, including a breakdown of support by region is available in the Department for Transport's annual report. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

Road Traffic

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many representations his Department has received on traffic congestion in town centres in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport's records reveal that the following numbers of ministerial and official correspondence have been received over the last five years which have 'traffic congestion in town centres' within the subject heading:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004 16 
			 2005 40 
			 2006 27 
			 2007 47 
			 2008 17 
			 2009 8 
		
	
	There will have been many more representations to the Department on this issue, but it would not be possible to provide figures for these without disproportionate cost.

Road Traffic

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the distance travelled on  (a) Highways Agency roads and  (b) other roads by foreign-registered light vehicles in the last 12 months.

Sadiq Khan: holding answer 29 June 2009
	It is estimated that foreign registered cars and light goods vehicles travelled 319 million kilometres on Britain's motorways in 2008, accounting for around 0.4 per cent. of the total distance travelled by these types of vehicles.
	On other roads in Great Britain, it is estimated that foreign registered cars and light goods vehicles travelled 1.438 billion kilometres in 2008, around 0.2 per cent. of the total distance travelled by these types of vehicles.
	The estimates are based on information collected through the Department for Transport's Vehicle Excise Duty Evasion survey in June 2008. They have been calculated on the assumption that the rate of foreign registered vehicles in traffic observed during this month is representative of the rate throughout the year.
	Estimates of foreign registered traffic are split between motorways and all other roads, while the Highways Agency is responsible for managing both motorways and other major trunk roads in England. Estimates covering all Highways Agency routes are therefore not available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Roads: Construction

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent research his Department has  (a) evaluated and  (b) commissioned on the environmental impact of new road building; and what guidance his Department has issued to local and regional authorities on the management of such effects.

Sadiq Khan: All major road schemes submitted to the Department for Transport by local authorities or promoted by the Highways Agency are subject to a full assessment against the Government's five overarching objectives of safety, environment, economy, integration and accessibility.
	The Highways Agency also has in place a set of advice notes in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges that deal with the environmental design and management of roads. These advice notes state clearly that good environmental design is a matter of respecting the special character of each individual location where a road improvement may be sited. While this is written with the trunk road system in mind, local highway authorities are likely to find it useful for their purposes, too.
	In addition, the Department has commissioned research into valuing transport's impact on the natural landscape. The results of phases 1 and 2 of the study are reported on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/economics/rdg/landscape/
	The Highways Agency has recently released a report, 'Post Opening Project Evaluation: Meta Analysis', on the evaluation of a number of Highways Agency schemes. A copy of the report can be found at the following weblink:
	http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/18386.aspx
	The Highways Agency is also developing an improved methodology to account for the changes to the quantity of vehicle emissions that affect air quality that can result from new road schemes.
	Finally, the Department is collaborating with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to manage research that they have commissioned to investigate the health impacts of environmental noise.

Transport: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what representations he has received on the allocation of funding for the construction of  (a) bicycle paths and lanes and  (b) footpaths in (i) Essex and (ii) Castle Point in each of the last five years.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport receives representations from time to time about the allocation of funding for various issues, including the construction of bicycle paths, bicycle lanes and footpaths. However, the Department is not aware of any specific representations on these subjects in relation to Essex or Castle Point. Such representations would generally be made to the local authority in question.

CABINET OFFICE

Breast Cancer: Males

James Duddridge: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many adult males have been diagnosed with breast cancer in England in each year from 2005.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply to the hon. Member. A copy of its response will be placed in the Library.

Central Office of Information: Expenditure

Nick Hurd: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan) on 12 November 2008,  Official Report, column 759, on public relations, what the reasons are for the difference between the figure of 265 million given in the answer and the figure of 391 million for Central Office of Information (COI) spending on public relations, marketing and advertising in 2007-08 given in the most recent COI annual report and accounts.

Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to answer given to him on 20 April 2009,  Official Report, column 352W.

Central Office of Information: Security

Danny Alexander: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many breaches of security at the Central Office of Information have occurred in the last five years; and what procedures that agency follows when a breach of security involves the disclosure of personal data.

Tessa Jowell: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Central Office of Information. I have asked the chief executive to reply.
	 Letter from Mark Lund, dated June 2009:
	As Chief Executive of the Central Office of Information (COI), I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the Security Breaches (276941).
	In the last five years the Central Office of Information (COI) has had no reported breaches of security.
	It is COI policy to report all significant personal data security breaches to the Cabinet Office and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). Information on personal data security breaches is published on an annual basis in the department's Annual Report and Accounts as announced in the Data Handling. Procedures in Government Review published on 25th June 2008.
	Additionally, all significant control weaknesses including other significant security breaches are included in the Statement of Internal Control which is also published within the Annual Report and Accounts.

Jobseeker's Allowance: South Yorkshire

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average length of time was for which jobseeker's allowance (JSA) claimants resident in  (a) Barnsley and  (b) Doncaster received JSA in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated June 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for what average length of time jobseeker's allowance (JSA) claimants resident in  (a) Barnsley and  (b) Doncaster received JSA in each of the last five years. (282785)
	The number of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) is taken from the Jobcentre Plus administrative system. The length of a claim has been defined as the time between the start of an individual's claim and that claim ending. Table 1 shows the median length of completed claims during the May count period of the last 5 years.
	
		
			  Table 1. Median length of completed claims (off-flows) of jobseeker's allowance for claimants resident in Barnsley and Doncaster 
			  Months 
			  May  Barnsley  Doncaster 
			 2005 8.5 9.3 
			 2006 11.0 10.7 
			 2007 10.0 12.3 
			 2008 9.5 9.7 
			 2009 12.2 10.8 
			  Source:  Jobcentre Plus administrative system.

Regional Planning and Development: South East

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what representations her Department has received on the consultation process on the South East England Regional Spatial Strategy. [R]

Tessa Jowell: The Cabinet Office received no representations on the South East England Regional Spatial Strategy.

Unemployment: Merseyside

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average unemployment rate among the working age population in  (a) Merseyside and  (b) Crosby was in each of the last five years. [R]

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter  from Karen Dunnell, dated June 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the average unemployment rate among working age population in (a) Merseyside and (b) Crosby was in each of the last five years. (282522)
	The Office for National Statistics compiles unemployment statistics in line with International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS).
	Table 1 shows the unemployment rate for people resident in Merseyside and Crosby parliamentary constituency in each of the last five years. The latest period for which data are available is October 2007 to September 2008. Unemployment rates are normally provided for people aged 16 and over, rather than people of working age, thus estimates provided are consistent with this definition.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they, are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment and unemployment are available from the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			  Table 1: Unemployment rates( 1)  for people resident in Merseyside and Crosby 
			   Unemployment rate (percentage) 
			  12 month period  Merseyside  Crosby 
			 January to December 2004 6.1 2.5 
			 January to December 2005 7.0 3.8 
			 January to December 2006 7.0 7.2 
			 January to December 2007 7.3 3.6 
			 October 2007 to September 2008 6.9 6.0 
			 (1) Number of unemployed people aged 16 and over as a percentage of the economically active population.  Source:  Annual Population Survey.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Community Policing: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of neighbourhood policing schemes in  (a) the London Borough of Enfield and  (b) Enfield North constituency.

David Hanson: It is for individual police forces and authorities to ensure the effectiveness of neighbourhood policing in their area. The Government will hold forces to account for progress through the single top-down target we have set them to improve public confidence that crime and antisocial behaviour issues are being tackled locally, and in the light of inspection work by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).
	HMIC has inspected every force in England and Wales to assess their capabilities in delivering Neighbourhood Policing and Developing Citizen Focus. HMIC's assessment in September 2008 was that all forces, including the Metropolitan Police Service, had met this standard.

Crimes of Violence

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reported incidents of  (a) attempted murder,  (b) wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and  (c) wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent by use of a knife or sharp instrument there have been in each police force area in each year since 1997.

David Hanson: Available information for knife and sharp instrument offences recorded by the police for selected offences are provided for 2007-08 only. Data are not available for previous years.
	Data for 2008-09 will be published on 16 July. It should be noted that GBH offences for 2008-09 will not be comparable with those published for 2007-08.
	This is due to a change in the clarification rules for recording GBH with intent, and a change in the definitional coverage of GBH without intent.
	
		
			  Knife and sharp instrument offences recorded by the police for selected offences, 2007-08( 1) 
			  Number 
			  Police force  Attempted murder  Wounding with intent to do GBH  Wounding or inflicting GBH without intent 
			 Avon and Somerset 3 85 27 
			 Bedfordshire 4 67 14 
			 British Transport Police 0 11 1 
			 Cambridgeshire 3 21 16 
			 Cheshire 1 64 26 
			 Cleveland 4 76 17 
			 Cumbria 2 20 35 
			 Derbyshire 2 49 28 
			 Devon and Cornwall 5 127 45 
			 Dorset 0 20 11 
			 Durham 2 53 8 
			 Dyfed-Powys 3 31 31 
			 Essex 6 89 10 
			 Gloucestershire 1 15 4 
			 Greater Manchester 20 600 315 
			 Gwent 1 79 8 
			 Hampshire 7 88 108 
			 Hertfordshire 8 46 35 
			 Humberside 2 55 34 
			 Kent 10 94 32 
			 Lancashire 8 138 46 
			 Leicestershire 5 99 25 
			 Lincolnshire 0 29 9 
			 London, City of 1 3 2 
			 Merseyside 3 312 52 
			 Metropolitan Police 59 878 869 
			 Norfolk 1 22 13 
			 North Wales 1 56 25 
			 North Yorkshire 1 21 4 
			 Northamptonshire 3 83 10 
			 Northumbria 1 140 64 
			 Nottinghamshire 5 122 27 
			 South Wales 0 333 46 
			 South Yorkshire 6 111 43 
			 Staffordshire 1 34 75 
			 Suffolk 2 33 42 
			 Surrey 6 25 18 
			 Sussex 2 62 84 
			 Thames Valley 9 63 30 
			 Warwickshire 2 41 14 
			 West Mercia 1 43 20 
			 West Midlands 14 561 370 
			 West Yorkshire 10 306 75 
			 Wiltshire 6 43 17 
			 (1) Includes racially or religiously aggravated wounding or inflicting GBH.

Departmental Consultants

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department spent on consultancy contracts in 2008-09.

Phil Woolas: In 2008-09, the Home Office and its agencies (the UK Border Agency, the Identity and Passport Service and the Criminal Records Bureau) spent 140 million on consultancy services, such as project management, legal services and assistance with major projects, with a wide range of consultants. This represents 7 per cent. of Home Office expenditure on third party goods and services.

DNA: Databases

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions a person has been arrested but not charged with an offence following their being suspected of a crime as the result of the use of the national DNA database.

Alan Johnson: The information requested is not collected. In 2007-08, there were 37,376 crimes with a DNA match. If the National DNA Database (NDNAD) matches a DNA profile found at a crime scene with that from a known individual, a match report is sent to the police for further investigation. However, the NDNAD does not hold information on the outcome of the police investigation following the matchfor example, whether the person concerned is arrested or chargedas its purpose is only to match DNA profiles.
	These figures do not constitute part of National Statistics as they are based on internal management information. The information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols, should be treated as provisional and is subject to change.

Entry Clearances

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many telephone interviews with visa applicants from  (a) Pakistan and  (b) Afghanistan have been conducted by entry clearance officers in (i) Islamabad and (ii) Abu Dhabi since 27 October 2008.

Alan Johnson: No telephone interviews have been conducted with visa applicants from either country since 27 October. Visa section staff may contact visa applicants to clarify certain aspects of an application, and there is routine verification of supporting documents which may also result in telephone inquiries being made.

Forced Marriages: Victim Support Schemes

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what support services his Department funds in each local authority area for victims of forced marriage; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what proportion of his Department's budget for 2009-10 is allocated for support for the victims of forced marriage.

Alan Campbell: Following a successful pilot in 2008, the joint Home Office/Foreign and Commonwealth Office Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) has allocated 84,000 to its Domestic Programme fund for 2009-10. Specialist organisations were invited in early June to apply for funds for project activities which support delivery of the FMUs 2009 and 2010 action plan. The Unit also separately funds support and awareness raising activity overseas, including in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
	The Home Office has also allocated a total of 3.5 million to the nine Government Offices for the regions and the Welsh Assembly for 2009-10 to support local initiatives to tackle domestic violence. A number of regions have chosen to allocate specific funding to local initiatives tackling forced marriage in their areas.

Forensic Science Service: Chorley

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the decision was made on the proposed closure of the Forensic Science Services Chorley laboratory.

Alan Campbell: No decision has been made to close Chorley or any other site. The Forensic Science Service has shared proposals about the future operational site deployment with employees and their representatives (Trade Unions and Employee Forum). This is part of the on-going collective consultation on the business transformation announced in the written ministerial statement of 8 June 2009. These proposals are subject to consultation and no decisions have been made about Chorley or any other site.

Hillsborough Stadium: Disclosure of Information

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress his Department has made in identifying files and documents it holds relating to the Hillsborough disaster that can be released.

Alan Campbell: The Home Office, in partnership with other Departments, is currently developing a Government wide approach to the issue in close liaison with local agencies in South Yorkshire and beyond.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to reply to the letter of 27 November 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Mohsin Zafar.

Alan Johnson: The then Home Secretary replied to my right hon. Friend on 25 March 2009.

Overseas Students: Entry Clearances

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been  (a) prosecuted for and  (b) convicted of immigration offences related to the student visa system in the last 12 months.

Alan Johnson: The system used by the UK Border Agency to record data relating to prosecutions for immigration offences does not categorise individuals by the nature of their stay in the UK.
	The UK Border Agency would normally seek to remove an individual under such circumstances, rather than to prosecute them, as the former presents a more cost effective alternative.

Passports

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for passports were found to be supported by birth certificates which claimed to but did not relate to the applicant in each of the last five years.

Alan Johnson: From 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2009 IPS records indicate that there were 492 applications identified in which an impostor used the genuine birth certificate of another person to support a passport application.
	This breaks down as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2005-06 76 
			 2006-07 163 
			 2007-08 122 
			 2008-09 131 
		
	
	In addition, for the same period IPS records indicate that 258 instances were identified in which a passport application was supported by a forged, counterfeit or stolen blank birth certificate.
	This breaks down as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2005-06 62 
			 2006-07 108 
			 2007-08 53 
			 2008-09 35 
		
	
	These figures do not constitute part of National Statistics as they are based on internal management information. The information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols, should be treated as provisional and is subject to change.

Police: Lancashire

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) police officers and  (b) police community support officers (PCSO's) were assigned to duties in each parliamentary constituency in the Lancashire County Council area in the latest period for which figures are available; how many police officers were assigned to duties in each such constituency in 1997; and how many PCSOs were assigned to duties in each such constituency in 2003.

David Hanson: Police personnel data are not available by parliamentary constituency. Information for Lancashire along with basic command unit (BCU) data for police officers and police community support officers (PCSOs) for 2007-08 is provided in the tables.
	Police strength by police basic command unit was collected centrally for the first time for the period beginning April 2002 and is therefore not available for earlier years.
	Information on the number of PCSOs in BCUs is not available for 2003 as it has only been collected since June 2005.
	
		
			  Police officer strength by basic command unit, 31 March 2008( 1) Lancashire police force 
			  Full-time equivalent 
			  BCU( 2)  Police officers 
			 Lancashire Central 375 
			 Lancashire Eastern 598 
			 Lancashire Northern 439 
			 Lancashire Southern 507 
			 Lancashire Western 543 
			 Pennine 572 
			 Central Services 641 
			 Total 3,675 
			 (1) These figures are based on full-time equivalents that have been rounded to the nearest whole number; due to rounding there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of constituent items. Figures include those officers on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. (2) Airport BCUs do not have a population attributed to them. 
		
	
	
		
			  Police community support officer strength by basic command unit, 31 March 2008( 1) Lancashire police force 
			  Full-time equivalent 
			  BCU( 2)  Police community support officers 
			 Lancashire Central 52 
			 Lancashire Eastern 71 
			 Lancashire Northern 81 
			 Lancashire Southern 70 
			 Lancashire Western 70 
			 Pennine 56 
			 Central Services 1 
			 Total 400 
			 (1) These figures are based on full-time equivalents that have been rounded to the nearest whole number; due to rounding there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of constituent items. Figures include those officers on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. (2) Airport BCUs do not have a population attributed to them.

Police: Voluntary Work

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his most recent estimate is of the number of police volunteers in Greater London.

David Hanson: At the end of March 2008 there were 2,510 special constables in the Metropolitan Police Service and 72 in the City of London Police.
	We do not collect information about the number of volunteer police staff or volunteer cadets.

Road Traffic Offences

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward legislative proposals to make  (a) the filming of and  (b) the subsequent online publication of video recordings of instances of road traffic violations an offence; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: We have no current plans to change what can legally be filmed and published on the internet.

Serious and Organised Crime Agency

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2009,  Official Report, column 197W, on the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the 5,000 persons of interest resident in the UK.

Alan Johnson: Approximately 95 per cent. of the Serious Organised Crime Agency's current persons of interest (POI) are recorded as having a UK address.

JUSTICE

Ashwell Prison

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prison officers are employed at HM Prison (HMP) Ashwell; and whether any prison officers at HMP Ashwell have been relocated to other prisons following the disturbance on 11 April 2009.

Jack Straw: There are currently 117.5 prison officers employed at HMP Ashwell, two less than the present target staffing figure. The 117.5 are made up of 91 officers, 21 senior officers and 5.5 principal officers.
	Since 1 June 2009, 20 officers and three senior officers have been carrying out temporary detached duty at other prisons within the East Midlands region. The remainder of the unified staff are engaged in normal business running the prison, which still holds 204 prisoners in the secure areas of the prison that were not damaged in the disturbance on 11 April 2009. They are additionally continuing the process of clearing up the establishment, bringing back into use work areas damaged during the disturbance, and recovering and returning prisoners' property from the damaged areas of the prison to those prisoners that have been transferred.

Damages Act 1996

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will ensure the discount rate for future loss under the Damages Act 1996 reflects the real rate of return for index-linked government stock and equity; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The discount rate under the Damages Act 1996 is kept under review. It would not be appropriate for the Government to give any indication of how or when this is done, as this would generate speculation that could significantly affect settlements in personal injury cases.

Domestic Violence: National Offender Management Service

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what programmes to tackle domestic violence are being developed within the National Offender Management Service.

Maria Eagle: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) currently delivers three specific accredited programmes to perpetrators of domestic violencetwo in the community and one in prison. In addition NOMS delivers a range of other accredited programmes that may be appropriate in these cases which address violent and sexual offending. NOMS is undertaking a review of the suite of existing programmes which will help inform commissioners and future developments.

Ernst and Young

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what criteria were used to determine when to commission Ernst and Young to conduct economic research as part of the Legal Services Commission's review of family law legal aid funding; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The LSC commissioned the Ernst and Young research as part of their responsibility as a commissioning organisation to ensure that the impacts on client access to family advocacy services are fully understood, and in order to gain a fuller economic understanding of the market for family advocacy. It was always the LSC's intention to undertake this research alongside the consultation process. The LSC has agreed to share the outcome of the Ernst and Young research with a number of stakeholders representing legal service providers and will do so shortly.
	The LSC issued the invitation, to tender for the research contract as soon as possible after the consultation began.

Judicial Appointments for England and Wales

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many Judicial Appointments Commission staff at each civil service grade were on secondment from his Department and its predecessor in each of the last three years.

Jack Straw: The breakdown of secondees from the Ministry of Justice and its predecessor Departments to the Judicial Appointments Commission by civil service grade is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Number 
			   SCS  Grade 6/7  SEO  HEO  EO  AO  Total 
			 3 April 2006 4 9 6 13 26 27 85 
			 31 March 2007 3 10 7 10 20 18 68 
			 31 March 2008 2 10 10 13 18 12 65 
			 31 March 2009 1 6 3 8 9 4 31 
			 31 May 2009 1 5 2 7 9 2 26 
		
	
	The Judicial Appointments Commission publishes headline information about its staffing in its Annual Reports, which can be found on their website at:
	http://www.judicialappointments.gov.uk/

Judicial Appointments for England and Wales

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he last discussed the criteria for judicial appointments with the chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission.

Jack Straw: I have regular bilateral meetings with the chairman of the JAC at which the criteria for judicial appointments are sometimes discussed. The last of these meetings was held on 13 May 2009.

Judicial Appointments for England and Wales

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for the position of recorder the Judicial Appointments Commission has received in each of the last three years.

Jack Straw: No recorder selection exercises were run in the financial years 2006-07 and 2007-08. In 2008-09 the number of applications received in respect of recorder selection exercises is as follows:
	Recorder Northern, North Eastern and Wales: 433 eligible applicants;
	Recorder Midland: 366 eligible applicants; and
	Recorder South East: 981 eligible applicants.
	The Judicial Appointments Commission today released diversity data in respect of these exercises save for the Recorder South East exercise which has yet to complete. These data can be found on their website at:
	http://www.judicialappointments.gov.uk/

Judicial Appointments for England and Wales: Consultants

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the Judicial Appointments Commission has spent on external consultants in each of the last three years.

Jack Straw: The Judicial Appointments Commission has spent the following sums on consultants in each of the financial years:
	
		
			
			 2006-07 112,000 
			 2007-08 87,000 
			 2008-09 154,000

Judicial Appointments for England and Wales: Manpower

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) permanent and  (b) temporary staff the Judicial Appointments Commission employs.

Jack Straw: On 31 March 2009, the Judicial Appointments Commission employed 43 permanent staff (JAC employees) and 62 temporary staff (comprising 15 staff on fixed-term JAC contracts, 44 seconded or loaned to the JAC from public sector bodies, and 3 agency staff). On 31 May 2009, the Judicial Appointments Commission employed 47 permanent staff (JAC employees) and 58 temporary staff (comprising 18 staff on fixed-term JAC contracts, 39 seconded or loaned to the JAC, and one agency staff).
	The Judicial Appointments Commission publishes headline information about its staffing in its annual reports, which can be found on their website at:
	http://www.judicialappointments.gov.uk/

Legal Aid

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will make it his policy to undertake a full impact assessment before implementing reforms relating to  (a) family law legal aid and  (b) legal aid client criteria arising from the Legal Service Commission's review of family law legal aid funding; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: An initial Impact Assessment was conducted and published alongside the Family Fees consultation paper Family Legal Aid funding from 2010. The LSC is currently modelling the proposed final scheme and accompanying Impact Assessment, which will be published with the final policy proposals on family fees. This follows consideration of the consultation responses and the commissioning of the research by Ernst and Young on the family advocacy market to provide additional data for the Impact Assessment. The LSC has agreed to share the outcome of the research with a number of stakeholders representing legal service providers and will do shortly.
	The LSC is committed to conducting Impact Assessments on all its public consultations on policies and adheres to its own Impact Assessment Code of Practice. A copy of the Code can be found on its website.

Legal Aid

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of the population who will be eligible for legally-aided representation in the Crown Court once means-testing is re-introduced;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of the population eligible for legally-aided representation in magistrates' courts.

Jack Straw: Every defendant appearing before the Crown court for trial once the new means testing scheme is introduced will be granted a representation order, subject to the submission of a completed application form. We estimate that just over three-quarters of defendants will receive legal aid without needing to make any contribution. Further information is available in the Impact Assessment, published alongside the Government's response to the consultation on the principle of Crown court means testing.
	Defendants in the magistrates court need to pass both the Interests of Justice test and the means test to qualify for legal aid. Recent estimates suggest that around half of the population of England and Wales would be financially eligible to receive legal aid in the magistrates courts if they were charged with an offence that satisfied the Interests of Justice test. The majority of defendants who are not legally-aided in the magistrates courts are ineligible because their cases do not meet the Interests of Justice criteria.

Mentally Disturbed Offenders

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have been transferred from prison to a secure mental health unit in each of the last five years.

Jack Straw: The information requested is given in the following table.
	
		
			   Number transferred 
			 2004 890 
			 2005 907 
			 2006 967 
			 2007 941 
			 2008 997

National Offender Management Service

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff with a  (a) prison and  (b) probation background are employed in the Department of Violence, Extremism and Psychopathy within the National Offender Management Service.

Maria Eagle: While there is no specific Department of Violence, Extremism and Psychopathy, there is a team within NOMS Interventions and Substance Misuse Group which focuses on interventions in these three areas. There are currently 17 staff and of these 10 have a prison background, two probation, two have worked directly for both settings, three have neither. The majority of these staff have experience of delivering work which spans both services.

National Offender Management Service

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people working at the National Offender Management Service Head Office have a background in  (a) a probation service and  (b) a prison service.

Maria Eagle: There are no centralised records held on the background of employees. These records may be held locally and to collect this for the National Offenders Management Service headquarters would incur disproportionate cost.

Offences against Children: Prosecutions

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prosecutions for offences relating to child abuse there have been in each local authority area since 1997.

Claire Ward: The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for sexual offences against children, 2004 to 2007 is shown in the table. As there is no specific offence of child abuse, statistics are only provided where the age of the victim can be identified as a child from the description of the offence. The term child abuse describes harm caused to a child arising from emotional, physical, sexual abuse or neglect caused by a parent, guardian, carer, or stranger. A number of other offences such as offences against the person including physical assault may frequently be used by the police to charge offenders.
	The Sexual Offences Act 2003 significantly modernised and strengthened the laws on sexual offences in England and Wales to provide extra protection to children from sexual exploitation. This makes direct comparisons with previous legislation very difficult. Many new offences created by the Act will not have a direct equivalent under the old legislation.
	These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Court proceedings data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  N umber of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences relating to child abuse( 1)  England and Wales, by police force area, 2004 - 07( 1,)( )( 2,)( )( 3,)( )( 4) 
			  Police force area  2004( 5)  2005  2006  2007 
			 Avon and Somerset 66 110 88 81 
			 Bedfordshire 27 46 37 32 
			 Cambridgeshire 34 58 41 56 
			 Cheshire 44 80 62 81 
			 City of London  1   
			 Cleveland 27 43 58 60 
			 Cumbria 21 46 32 48 
			 Derbyshire 49 100 86 89 
			 Devon and Cornwall 21 65 94 110 
			 Dorset 18 29 33 28 
			 Durham 49 67 72 68 
			 Essex 52 58 54 24 
			 Gloucestershire 18 37 40 45 
			 Greater Manchester 159 234 248 245 
			 Hampshire 105 134 129 195 
			 Hertfordshire 40 65 82 39 
			 Humberside 48 55 61 53 
			 Kent 47 39 33 49 
			 Lancashire 81 159 149 155 
			 Leicestershire 49 66 78 78 
			 Lincolnshire 52 59 54 51 
			 Merseyside 49 60 60 90 
			 Metropolitan Police 356 495 483 452 
			 Norfolk 22 44 41 53 
			 North Yorkshire 39 42 69 59 
			 Northamptonshire 18 30 24 11 
			 Northumbria 56 121 122 129 
			 Nottinghamshire 68 91 92 80 
			 South Yorkshire 61 89 85 101 
			 Staffordshire 91 89 91 72 
			 Suffolk 28 59 60 48 
			 Surrey 17 50 39 44 
			 Sussex 27 73 79 79 
			 Thames Valley 40 122 112 139 
			 Warwickshire 13 30 22 34 
			 West Mercia 60 88 88 98 
			 West Midlands 308 286 332 293 
			 West Yorkshire 117 159 130 140 
			 Wiltshire 25 54 38 34 
			 Dyfed-Powys 41 25 24 26 
			 Gwent 51 79 52 54 
			 North Wales 50 56 49 25 
			 South Wales 120 117 108 130 
			 England and Wales 2,664 3,810 3,731 3,778 
			 (1) Includes the following offences: Causing or allowing the death of a child or vulnerable person. Cruelty or neglect of children. Abandoning children under two years. Sexual assault of a male child aged under 13. Rape, attempted rape of a male or female aged under 13 or under 16. Sexual assault of a female child aged under 13. Sexual activity with a male or female child aged under 13. Sexual activity with a male or female aged under 16. Familial sexual offences of a male or female child aged under 13. Abuse of children aged under 18 through prostitution and pornography. Abuse of trust sexual offences against a child aged under 18. Meeting a male or female aged under 16 following sexual grooming. (2) Covers offences which identify the victim as a minor at the time the offence was committed. (3) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (5) The Sexual Offences Act came into force on 1 May 2004.  Source: Office for Criminal Justice ReformEvidence and Analysis Unit. Ministry of Justice.

Pleural Plaques

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish the medical reports the Government has requested from the  (a) Chief Medical Officer and  (b) Industrial Injuries Advisory Council as part of its consultation on pleural plaques.

Bridget Prentice: The Government commissioned reviews of the medical evidence on pleural plaques from the chief medical officer and the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council alongside their consultation paper on pleural plaques. I have deposited copies of these two reports in the Libraries of both Houses.
	The Government received 224 responses to their consultation paper. A full summary of the responses will be published together with the Government's response to the consultation as soon as possible.

Prisons: Drug Abuse

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance his Department has issued on drug abuse and treatment for drug abuse in prisons; and whether he plans to revise that guidance.

Maria Eagle: The National Offender Management Service's Interventions and Substance Misuse Group provides guidance to prison staff and prisoners about drugs misuse and treatments. This includes various prison service orders and instructions, manuals, booklets, leaflets, videos, DVDs and toolkits.
	All of the guidance provided by Interventions and Substance Misuse Group is regularly reviewed and revised in order to provide the most recent best practice and advice in the substance misuse field. The manuals associated with accredited drug treatment programmes are reviewed annually and revised additions are promulgated throughout the prison estate.
	The revised NOMS Drug Strategy was published In June 2009. The strategy includes a comprehensive list of supporting guidance documents. Additionally, the strategy's accompanying communication strategy Getting the Message Across includes an Interventions and Substance Misuse Group Approved Drug Publications list for prisons and details suitable guidance produced by other agencies relevant to drugs misuse and treatment. Getting the Message Across includes a commitment to review the composition of the list annually and identify gaps to be filled. A copy of the NOMS Drug Strategy and its supporting papers is available in the House of Commons Library and online at
	www.justice.gov.uk/publications/noms-drug-strategy-2008-2011.htm

Prison Sentences

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove of 16 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 256-64W, on prison sentences, how many of the 14 prisoners recalled following release from an indeterminate sentence for public protection were recalled for alleged re-offending; and what the  (a) original offence and  (b) alleged further offence was in each case.

Jack Straw: There are five cases where the recall was for alleged reoffending as shown in the table. It is for the independent Parole Board to determine whether an offender sentenced to an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection should be released once his tariff has expired.
	
		
			  Index offence  Alleged reoffending 
			 Wounding GBH Actual Bodily Harm x 2 
			  Assault by Beating x 2 
			  Criminal Damage x 1 
			   
			 Wounding GBH Assault 
			   
			 Robbery Affray 
			   
			 Robbery Kidnap 
			  Threats to Kill 
			  Assault 
			  Assault by Penetration 
			  Driving Offences 
			   
			 Arson Affray

Prison Service: Probation

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff with a background in  (a) the Prison Service and  (b) the Probation Service are employed in the Offender Management Group of the National Offender Management Service.

Maria Eagle: The Offender Assessment and Management Group currently has 34 staff in post of whom 11 are on secondment from the probation service. Four staff in the group have a background in HMPS one of whom has also worked in the probation service. Of the remaining 19, one has previously served in the probation service.

Prisoners

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times in each prison in England and Wales  (a) police have been called in to the prison and  (b) arrests have been made in the prison following violence, disorder or other incidents in each of the last 12 years; and what the reason for the (i) request for police attendance and (ii) arrest was in each case.

Maria Eagle: Data on police attendance at prison incidents are only recorded by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) for incidents of concerted indiscipline and hostage taking. Data on arrests are only recorded by NOMS for drug related incidents, bomb threats, firearm related incidents and breaches of perimeter security. None of these data can be produced in the form requested without incurring disproportionate cost.

Prisoners: Foreigners

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign national prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection have been released upon the expiry of their tariff in each of the last five years.

Jack Straw: There have been two releases of foreign national prisoners serving indeterminate sentences of imprisonment for public protection since 4 April 2005. They were released after expiry of their tariff on the direction of the independent Parole Board, one in 2007 and one in 2009. Both were deported on release.

Prisoners: Personal Property

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Harborough (Mr. Garnier) of 8 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 1526-28W, on prisoners: personal property, what the equivalent figures for 2008-09 are.

Jack Straw: A breakdown of the compensation the National Offender Management Service has paid, during 2008-09, to prisoners for damaged or lost property is set out as follows. In obtaining the information the National Offender Management Service does not distinguish between prisoners' lost or stolen property.
	
		
			  2008-09  Number of cases  Compensation () 
			 Lost property 1,876 106,570.76 
			 Damaged property 255 13,727.89

Prisons: Training

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what training prison staff receive in  (a) offender management,  (b) parole assessment and  (c) risk assessment.

Maria Eagle: Training provision does not fall into these specific categories. However, training for prison staff covering these areas is provided by the following courses: Introduction to Risk Assessment and Management (IRAM), Managing Indeterminate Sentencing and Risk (MISaR) and Offender Assessment System (OASys).
	In 2010, it is proposed to introduce a formal training programme for HM Prison Service offender supervisors covering all aspects of offender management.

Prisons: Mental Health Services

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many psychologists were employed by  (a) HM Prison Service in (i) 2001 and (ii) 2004 and  (b) the National Offender Management Service in 2008.

Maria Eagle: There were 343 full-time equivalent psychologists employed in the Prison Service on 31 March 2001, 518 in 2004 and 653 across the National Offender Management Service in 2008. These figures include associated workers, who are involved with programmes but are not psychologists. Psychological assistants are not included.

Prisons: Probation

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice who the members are of the Programme Support Audit Group within the Interventions and Substance Misuse Group of the National Offender Management Service; and which of them have a  (a) prison and  (b) probation background.

Maria Eagle: There are 13 staff in the Programme Support and Audit team within Interventions and Substance Misuse Group including eight operational and five administrative staff. All are from a prison background. The names of the staff concerned have not been included to respect the rights of the individuals concerned.

Probation

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the principal duties are of probation staff seconded to work in jails in England and Wales.

Maria Eagle: Probation staff of varying grades may be seconded to prisons in the public and private sector under service level agreements (SLA) between the governor of each establishment and the chief officer of the local probation area. Each SLA is negotiated and tailored to meet the needs of each establishment.
	The duties of seconded probation staff therefore vary according to the SLA and the grade of the officer. However, they typically centre on offender management, including the assessment and management of risk; preparation for release; and the determination of licence conditions. Seconded probation staff may also deliver or manage accredited programmes in the prison.

Probation

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many probation staff who have been seconded to prisons in England and Wales have had those secondments cancelled.

Maria Eagle: Probation staff working in prisons in the public and private sector are supplied under service level agreements (SLA) between the governor or director of each establishment and the chief officer of the local probation area. Each SLA is negotiated and tailored to meet the needs of each establishment. The requirement for probation staff both in respect of grade and overall number is subject to annual review.
	Information on the number of probation officers working in prisons under such arrangements are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Probation

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many serious offences in each category of offence were committed by offenders on court-order probation supervision in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many serious offences in each category of offence were committed by offenders on post-release probation supervision in each of the last five years.

Jack Straw: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) holds data on the number of offenders convicted of serious further offences for the years 2006-07 and 2007-08, recorded in accordance with the requirements of probation circulars 8/2006 and 41/2006.
	The following table contains a break-down, by type of supervision, of those offenders convicted of serious further offences, who were included in the Offender Management Caseload Statistics (OMCS) 2007 for 2006-07 and 2007-08. NOMS does not hold this information for 2004-05 and 2005-06. I will send the hon. Gentleman the breakdown by supervision type in respect of the 2008-09 figures (and updated figures for 2007-08) after OMCS 2008 has been published on 31 July 2009.
	It should be noted that the figures are based on the year in which NOMS was notified that the offender was charged with the serious further offence, not the year in which the offender were subsequently convicted. The table includes the probation caseload figures for 2007 and 2008, for reference.
	
		
			  Offenders convicted of serious further offences, by offence and supervision type, recorded by NOMS PPU in accordance with PC8/2006 and 41/2006 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2008 
			   2006-07  2007-08 
			  Serious further offence conviction  Court orders  Post release  Court orders  Post release 
			 Abduction 1 0 0 0 
			 Aggravated burglary (section 10 of the Theft Act 1968) 2 0 11 9 
			 Aggravated theft 19 12 1 1 
			 Armed robbery 0 0 1 2 
			 Arson (section 1 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971) 18 3 22 6 
			 Assault by penetration (section 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) 3 5 10 3 
			 Assault of a child under 13 by penetration (section 6 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) 3 1 2 1 
			 Attempt to commit murder or a conspiracy to commit murder 8 6 5 3 
			 Burglary with Intent to Inflict grievous bodily harm (section 9 of the Theft Act 1968) 1 0 2 1 
			 Burglary with intent to commit rape (section 9 of the Theft Act 1968) 0 0 0 1 
			 Carrying a firearm with criminal intent (section 18 of the Firearms Act 1968) 0 0 0 0 
			 Causing death by careless driving when under influence of drink or drugs (section 3A of the Road Traffic Act 1988) 1 1 1 0 
			 Causing death by dangerous driving (section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988) 6 5 5 1 
			 Causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity (section 10 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) 0 0 1 1 
			 Causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity (section 8 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) 0 0 1 1 
			 False imprisonment 16 5 14 11 
			 Intercourse with girl under thirteen (section 5 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956) 0 0 1 0 
			 Kidnapping 8 9 14 6 
			 Manslaughter 25 4 13 2 
			 Murder 56 18 33 14 
			 Other explosives offences 1 0 0 0 
			 Other offences against the person 2 3 1 0 
			 Other serious child sex offences 5 1 1 0 
			 Other serious violent offence 6 4 7 1 
			 Possession of firearm at time of committing or being arrested for offence specified in schedule 1 to that Act (section 17(2) of the Firearms Act 1968) 0 1 7 2 
			 Possession of firearm with Intent to cause fear of violence (section 16A of the Firearms Act 1968) 0 0 0 1 
			 Possession of firearm with intent to endanger life (section 16 of the Firearms Act 1968) 1 0 5 4 
			 Rape (section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956) 40 14 22 6 
			 Rape (section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) 0 4 5 2 
			 Rape of a child under 13 (section 5 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) 1 2 5 2 
			 Robbery or assault with intent to rob (section 8 of the Theft Act 1968) 7 5 7 4 
			 Serious firearms offences (SFO) 23 10 7 4 
			 Sexual activity with a child (section 9 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) 23 6 16 4 
			 Sexual activity with a child family member (section 25 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) 1 0 0 3 
			 Sexual assault (section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) 0 0 1 0 
			 Sexual assault of a child under 13 (section 7 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) .8 4 13 6 
			 Wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (section 18 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861) 148 49 120 43 
			 Total serious further offence convictions 433 172 354 145 
			 England and Wales-caseload by supervision type (1)148,126 (1)26,110 (2)149,282 (2)30,270 
			 (1) As at 31 March 2007. (2) As at 31 March 2008

Probation: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the ratio of  (a) male to female offenders and  (b) male to female probation staff in each age range is in the Hampshire probation area.

Maria Eagle: The ratio of male to female offenders on the Hampshire probation area's caseload as at 31 December 2008, by age group, was as follows:
	
		
			  Age group  Male to female ratio 
			 18 to 20 9:1 
			 21 to 24 10:1 
			 25 to 29 7:1 
			 30 to 39 7:1 
			 40 to 49 6:1 
			 50 to 59 9:1 
			 60 and over 40:1 
			 All 8:1 
		
	
	The ratio of male to female probation staff as at 31 March 2008, by age group, was as follows:
	
		
			  Age group  Male to female ratio 
			 18 to 20  
			 21 to 24 1:7 
			 25 to 29 1:4.5 
			 30 to 39 1:3 
			 40 to 49 1:2.5 
			 50 to 59 1:1.5 
			 60 and over 1:1 
			 All 1:2.5 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Probation: Wales

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he plans to introduce reporting centres for Tier 3 and Tier 4 offenders in Wales.

Maria Eagle: There are no plans to introduce reporting centres for Tier 3 and 4 offenders currently. The establishment of contact centres for Tier 2 offenders is currently being rolled out and these will include provision from probation service staff and partner agencies.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Israel

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of Israel on the expansion of Israeli settlements in Palestine.

Ivan Lewis: The UK's position is clear. Following the Israeli Prime Minister's speech on 14 June 2009, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said to Mr. Netanyahu that the UK expects more on the issue of settlements: a complete freeze in settlement construction, in line with Israel's Roadmap commitments.

Israel

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Israeli Government on the middle east peace process.

Ivan Lewis: The UK welcomes the Israeli Prime Minister's support for a two-state solution. His speech on 14 June was a positive step towards making further progress on the peace process. However, more is needed from Israel on the issue of settlements: a complete freeze in settlement construction, in line with Israel's Roadmap commitments. We also emphasize that the Palestinians should continue to be prepared to engage in negotiations with Israel towards achieving a two-state solution.

EU-Pakistan Summit

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome of the most recent EU-Pakistan summit was; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The first ever EU-Pakistan Summit on 17 June 2009 marked a step change in EU engagement with Pakistan. The Summit established a long-term strategic partnership to tackle issues of violent extremism, security, and democratic governance. The agreed outcomes were: a comprehensive package of trade measures; a total package of 129 million for humanitarian assistance; and greater EU co-operation on counter-terrorism.

European Union

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on prospects for institutional change in the European Union; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: The December 2007 European Council conclusions stated that the Lisbon Treaty would mark the end of institutional debate. Heads of governments attending said:
	The Lisbon Treaty provides the Union with a stable and lasting institutional framework. We expect no change in the foreseeable future.
	The June 2009 European Council provided the assurances that Ireland needed to move forward on the Lisbon Treaty. The Irish government have said that there will be a second referendum in October 2009.

Afghanistan

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Afghanistan.

Ivan Lewis: Afghanistan remains one of the UK's top foreign policy priorities. The key political focus for Afghanistan in 2009 is the presidential and provincial council elections which will take place on 20 August 2009. We are actively working in support of the Afghans, the UN and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's International Security Assistance Force to help ensure these elections are successful.

Bagram Detention Facility

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on recent allegations of prisoner abuse at the US detention facility at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan.

Ivan Lewis: We have not had recent discussions on this issue. We have previously discussed allegations of prisoner abuse at Bagram with our US allies. It is vital that all detainees are treated humanely. It is right that the International Committee of the Red Cross have access to those detained at the Bagram detention facility.
	I note that President Obama has set in motion a comprehensive review of detention policy and practice, including in Afghanistan. We welcome this and await its outcome.

EU Budget

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had in the General Affairs Council on means for reducing the size of the EU budget; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: There have been no recent discussions at the General Affairs Council on means for reducing the size of the EU budget. The Commission were mandated by the December 2005 European Council to produce a Budget Review White Paper by the end of 2009. Our contribution to the review was outlined in HM Treasury's publication, Global Europe: Vision for a 21st Century Budget.

Presidential Election: Ukraine

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the Government plan to give to international missions monitoring the conduct of the forthcoming presidential election in Ukraine.

Chris Bryant: Ukraine will go to the polls for presidential elections on 17 January 2010. The Government will be offering financial support to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) monitoring mission. The offer will be calibrated according to ODIHR's requirements and our expectation to provide up to 10 per cent. of observers for such missions.

Pakistan

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Pakistan.

Ivan Lewis: The relationship between Pakistan's main political parties has stabilised since March. It is critical that Pakistan's politicians continue to work together to address Pakistan's key challenges. We are encouraged by the significant cross party support for the Government of Pakistan's efforts to bring security and stability to Swat and respond to the humanitarian crisis. We continue to work to help develop a strong, stable and democratic Pakistan.

Iran

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on developments in Iran following the recent presidential election; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: We deplore the violent response of the Iranian authorities to post-election demonstrations and the severe restrictions placed on the media. We have made clear that it is for Iran's people to choose their own government. It is essential that the Iranian authorities investigate fully the allegations that have been made about the election.
	We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Iran

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of developments in Iran's nuclear programme; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: We remain deeply concerned about its nuclear programme. As the latest International Atomic Energy Agency report on Iran made clear, Iran is still not co-operating fully with the agency and is increasing its enrichment capabilities contrary to the requirements of five UN Security Council Resolutions. We have made clear that Iran can enjoy the benefits of nuclear energy but must reassure the international community that its intentions are exclusively peaceful.

Colombia

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the likely effects on levels of poverty and social inequality in Colombia of the implementation of the proposed free trade agreement between the EU and Colombia.

Chris Bryant: Free trade agreements can help alleviate poverty and inequality when combined with others measures. While it is difficult accurately to predict the precise effects of free trade agreements, the European Commission is currently undertaking a Sustainability Impact Assessment of the EU-Andean negotiations, a process which the UK strongly supports. This will provide a guide to its likely economic, social and environmental impact. The draft final assessment report is expected in July 2009.

Colombia: Military Aid

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department began to keep for monitoring purposes a record of Colombian security force personnel who have received UK training in Colombia.

Chris Bryant: Our embassy at Bogota has records of Colombian Security Forces who have received direct UK training in Colombia from 2000-01. This framing includes that required to counter the illegal drugs trade. We do not disclose the details of this engagement as to do so would compromise operational effectiveness and endanger the lives of British and Colombian staff involved. Our engagement is carefully maintained to ensure that it cannot contribute to any human rights abuses.

Departmental Food

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the  (a) meat,  (b) fruit and  (c) vegetables procured by his Department in the last 12 months was produced in the UK.

Chris Bryant: A second report on the proportion of domestically produced food used by Government Departments, and also supplied to hospitals and prisons under contracts negotiated by NHS Supply Chain and HM Prison Service, was published in November 2008, covering the year from 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008. This report and the first one covering the previous year can be found at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/farm/policy/sustain/procurement/awareness.htm
	The report gives details of the proportion of individual meat, fruit and vegetable categories purchased.
	Although it is too early to show a trend, the report indicates that the amount of domestically produced food consumed by Government Departments in England is increasing. 65 per cent. of the food procured by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2007-08 was produced domestically. It expects to publish a third report at the end of 2009.

Embassies: Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what targets have been set in relation to the time taken by British High Commissions to reply to correspondence from hon. Members; and what proportion of correspondence from hon. Members received a reply from the British High Commission in Islamabad within the target time in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Bryant: Correspondence received in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is dealt with under Cabinet Office guidelines which state that all Departments should set targets for replying to correspondence from MPs. These targets (which may be different to the targets set for other types of correspondence) will be published in the annual correspondence report co-ordinated by the Cabinet Office. Individual Departments' targets for routine correspondence from MPs should be a maximum of 20 working days. We do not have details of correspondence for specific overseas posts.

Embassies: Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what targets are set in relation to the time taken by British consulates to reply to correspondence from hon. Members.

Chris Bryant: Correspondence received in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is dealt with under Cabinet Office guidelines which state that all Departments should set targets for replying to correspondence from MPs. These targets (which may be different to the targets set for other types of correspondence) will be published in the annual correspondence report co-ordinated by the Cabinet Office. Individual Departments' targets for routine correspondence from MPs should be a maximum of 20 working days.

International Atomic Energy Agency

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the merits of increasing the UK donations to the nuclear security fund under the budget of the International Atomic Energy Agency for the purposes of increasing that agency's verification capacity.

David Kidney: I have been asked to reply.
	The UK reviews annually its ability to make voluntary contributions to the IAEA's extra-budgetary nuclear security fund. We made the most recent such payment of 3.5 million in March this year, making a total of 5.5 million over the last three years. The Nuclear Security Fund covers assistance to states to address nuclear security issues rather than verification. The latter is handled by the IAEA regular budget, the UK contribution to which is set by the IAEA in accordance with UN allocation procedures.

Iran: Politics and Government

Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the handling of protests following the recent presidential elections in Iran by the Iranian authorities; and what assessment he has made of the implications for UK foreign policy of recent events in Iran.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has made clear that we deplore the violence against those seeking to protest peacefully in Iran. We have also expressed serious concern following the wholly unjustified expulsion of two members of our embassy, and the recent arrests of a number of our local staff. Some have since been released and we are working hard to secure the release of those who are still being held.
	In terms of the foreign policy implications we have stressed the importance of Iran engaging with the international community on all issues of concern, in particular Iran's nuclear programme, in the spirit of mutual respect and full recognition of Iran's international obligations.

Iran: Politics and Government

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of Iran on the conduct of the Presidential election; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Since the election my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have both made clear that the election was a matter for the people of Iran, but that there were concerns raised by some of the candidates needed to be addressed by the Iranian authorities.
	The Foreign Secretary has also made this point in the course of a telephone discussion with Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to reply to the letter dated 9 April 2009 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. S. Hussain.

David Miliband: I replied to my right hon. Friend on 29 June 2009.

Nuclear Weapons

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to support a nuclear weapons convention as a means to the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 29 June 2009
	 The UK is committed to the long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons and is actively working towards creating the conditions to make that goal a reality. We believe that the principal means to achieve this is through the non-proliferation treaty (NPT), resulting in a reinforced sense of shared responsibility for both nuclear and non-nuclear weapons states.
	At the moment we believe it would be premature to press for a Nuclear Weapons Convention, which be unlikely to make any headway and would distract attention from efforts to bolster the NPT. We do nonetheless believe there may be a role for a Nuclear Weapons Convention in the future when the time comes to establish a final ban.

Saudi Arabia: Foreign Relations

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of UK-Saudi Arabia relations; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Relations between the UK and Saudi Arabia are strong. Saudi Arabia is a key regional ally. Our long history of friendship, understanding and cooperation covers regional and international issues, counter terrorism, education, energy security, trade and investment. It is a broad-based and important relationship, which the Government are committed to maintaining and developing.

Somalia: Piracy

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of trends in the level of threat to shipping from pirates off Somalia in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: I have been asked to reply.
	Although piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia continues to be a problem, various international military operations established in the region have had success in countering it.
	The main trend in the level of threat to shipping off Somalia in the last 12 months is based upon the annual monsoon pattern, when there is a marked deterioration of sea conditions between June to September and December to March and a corresponding drop in the number of piracy attacks.
	The authority on piracy off Somalia is the Maritime Security Centre (Horn of Africa) (MSC(HOA)) and the Coordination Centre of the EU Naval Force. MSC(HOA) make up-to-date advice and guidance to seafarers available on their website
	www.mschos.org

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Pensions

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what representations she has received on levels of  (a) pensions and  (b) other forms of support to (i) Gurkha service personnel and (ii) UK-recruited service personnel who left the armed forces before 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Jabez Foster: The Government Equalities Office has not received any representations on this matter.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Community Relations

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the Government's Respect agenda on implementation of the Government's policy on community cohesion.

Shahid Malik: The Commission on Integration and Cohesion identified a close relationship between perceptions of antisocial behaviour and community cohesion. So the Respect Agenda will have made an important contribution to work to build cohesion in local communities.

Council Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 24 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1794W, on council tax, how many dwellings have value significant code data for the  (a) GG code and  (b) OS code.

Rosie Winterton: Out of 22.7 million dwellings, as at 23 June 2009, the number of dwellings in England that had value significant code data for  (a) GG code (a garden, where one is not usual for the locality) was 6,073 and  (b) OS code (a patio, which is value significant; for example, a substantial terrace) was 5,143.

Council Tax: Appeals

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information is provided to the public by his Department on procedures for challenging council tax banding of their properties.

Rosie Winterton: The Department publishes a leaflet on council tax, Council Taxa guide to valuation banding and appeals which gives information on how to appeal against the council tax banding of your property. It is available to download from CLG's website at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/ctax/ctaxvalappeal.pdf
	Hard copies can also be requested, from DCLG Publications, PO Box 236, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7NB; telephone: 0870 1226236.
	In addition, information on appealing against your council tax band can be found on the VOA website at:
	http://www.voa.gov.uk
	and the VTS website at:
	http://www.valuation-tribunals.gov.uk

Council Tax: Valuation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the next revaluation for council tax purposes will take place.

Rosie Winterton: We have repeatedly made it clear that the council tax revaluation in England has been postponed and that we will not consider the matter again before 2010-11.

Council Tax: Valuation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many dwellings in England were moved into a higher council tax band as a result of a revaluation of the property when the property was sold in the last year for which figures are available.

Rosie Winterton: There is no revaluation taking place. The Valuation Office Agency is only required to review council tax bands when a property sells if it has previously been improved. There were approximately 22.7 million dwellings in England in 2008-09, of which 8,406 (0.04 per cent.) were reviewed and moved into a higher council tax band in that year, and 33,725 (0.15 per cent.) were reviewed but remained in the same band.

Council Tax: Valuation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Valuation Office Agency's new Geographical Information System will be used to assist with council tax valuations and revaluations.

Rosie Winterton: The proposed GIS application is intended to support a variety of the VOA's valuation responsibilities, including council tax valuations. There is no council tax revaluation taking place.

Council Tax: Valuation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Beckenham of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 298W, on council tax: valuation, if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of each meeting, redacting elements relating to advice to Ministers on the formulation and development of Government policy.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, East and Saddleworth (Mr. Woolas), on 27 April 2006,  Official Report, column 1285W.

Departmental Lost Property

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many laptop computers belonging to  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have been lost or stolen in the last five years.

Shahid Malik: The Department for Communities and Local Government was created on 5 May 2006. The following table identifies the number of laptops belonging to the Department, its predecessor Department and its agencies that have been stolen in the last five years.
	
		
			   Number of laptops stolen 
			 2004-05 2 
			 2005-06 7 
			 2006-07 7 
			 2007-08 9 
			 2008-09 1 
		
	
	The official data on each of the laptops were not encrypted, because none of the information was classified. However, each laptop was password protected.
	This answer does not include the Government offices for the English regions who carry out functions on behalf of 10 Government Departments.

Departmental Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which  (a) sections of his Department and  (b) non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible have requested money saved from efficiency savings to be used for increased pay in their 2009 pay offers to staff.

Shahid Malik: holding answer 26 June 2009
	 The Department for Communities and Local Government and its agencies are not proposing to request money saved from efficiency savings to be used for increased pay in their 2009 pay offers to staff.

Departmental Public Consultation

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consultations have been carried out by his Department since July 2007.

Shahid Malik: The number of consultations carried out by Communities and Local Government between 9 July 2007 and 25 June 2009 is 124. In line with the code of practice on consultation, Communities and Local Government publishes all its consultation documents on its website at:
	www.communities.gov.uk

Emergency Services: Overseas Aid

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2009,  Official Report, column 834W, on overseas aid: emergency services, what assessment he has made of the effect of the decision that the UK Fire and Rescue Service will organise the overseas search and rescue capability for disaster response on the service's ability to respond to natural disasters in the UK.

Shahid Malik: The overseas deployment of resources to assist in an emergency is organised by UK International Search And Rescue (UKISAR). UKISAR are teams of Search and Rescue specialists drawn from the UK Fire and Rescue Services and voluntary organisations. Any overseas deployment of UKISAR is undertaken on behalf of the Department For International Development (DFID).
	The UKISAR equipment and resources including specialist staff are in addition to the Urban Search and Rescue equipment and resources provided within the New Dimension programme to equip the FRS to respond to UK incidents.
	Therefore the overseas deployment of UKISAR will not impact on the capacity of the UK Fire and Rescue Service to provide an appropriate Urban Search and Rescue response to incidents in the UK.
	In addition, on receipt of a request for overseas deployment a further assessment of the risk to the UK is completed by DFID and CLG (via the Office of the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser) prior to the approval for UKISAR deployment.

eQuality Networks

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding  (a) his Department,  (b) each of its executive agencies and  (c) the Audit Commission has provided to eQuality Networks in the last 12 months; when the funding was provided; how much was provided; and for what purposes.

Shahid Malik: I can confirm that no funding has been provided to eQuality Networks in the last 12 months by either Communities and Local Government, its Executive agencies, the Housing Corporation, the Audit Commission or English Partnerships.

Equity

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment he has made of the level of negative equity in the housing market in each region.

Ian Austin: Communities and Local Government do not produce its own estimates of negative equity.
	The Council of Mortgage Lenders have estimated the number of owner-occupiers in negative equity, including by region, as at the end of 2008. These are available at:
	http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/filegrab/Homeownerhousingequitythroughthedownturn.pdf?ref=6360

Green Belt

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance has been given to regional planning bodies on the production of environmental impact assessments for proposals in regional spatial strategies which direct a review or deletion of an allocation of green belt land.

Ian Austin: Guidance on reviewing green belt boundaries is set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 2: Green Belts, issued in 1995. Guidance on environmental assessment of Regional Spatial Strategies is included in 'Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Documents', issued in 2005. Regional Spatial Strategies set the framework for green belt policy, including the direction of long-term development in a region. They may include policies to review green belts, but it is for the local planning authorities to determine any detailed changes to green belt boundaries.

Green Belt: Dorset

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to protect  (a) the green belt and  (b) open green spaces in Dorset.

Ian Austin: The information is as follows.
	 Green belt
	We have made it clear that Government remain committed to the key principles of the green belt and is not changing green belt policy as set out in PPG2. However, this does not mean that green belt boundaries should be set in stone. Nationally, the green belt continues to grow.
	 Open green spaces
	The Government's planning policies on open space are set out in planning policy guidance note 17 (PPG 17) Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation (2002). It recognises that well designed and implemented planning policies for open space, sport and recreation are fundamental to delivering broader Government objectives.
	Local planning authorities in Dorset, like in the rest of the UK, need to take these policies into account in the preparation of their development plans. PPG2 and PPG 17 may also be material considerations in deciding individual planning applications.

Homes and Communities Agency: Finance

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the administration costs of the Homes and Communities Agency and each of its predecessor bodies under each budget sub-heading were in each of the last three years.

Ian Austin: The predecessor bodies for the Homes and Communities Agency were English Partnerships, the investment arm of the Housing Corporation, and the Academy for Sustainable Communities. A range of departmental programmes also transferred to the Agency from Communities and Local Government.
	The administration costs of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and former English Partnerships (EP) and the Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC) are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   million 
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			   EP  ASC  EP  ASC  EP (8 months)  HCA (4 months)  ASC (12 months) 
			 Staff 29.0 1.0 30.6 1.2 22.2 17.7 1.2 
			 Other staff costs 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.2 
			 Redundancy 0.6 0.0 1.7 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Premises 5.3 0.0 5.3 0.0 4.1 2.1 0.0 
			 Facilities 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.2 
			 Communications 0.6 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.6 0.3 0.0 
			 Printing and records 0.6 0.0 0.7 0.0 1.1 0.4 0.0 
			 Staff welfare 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.2 0.3 0.0 
			 Office expenses-other 0.4 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.3 0.1 0.0 
			 IT costs 1.6 0.0 1.8 0.0 1.8 1.0 0.1 
			 Communications and PR 1.3 0.0 1.5 0.0 1.3 0.9 0.0 
			 Uninsured losses 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Research/feasibility studies 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 
			 Evaluation 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Audit fees 0.2 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 
			 Recruitment 0.4 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.6 0.2 0.0 
			 Travel and subsistence 2.9 0.1 2.8 0.2 2.5 1.3 0.1 
			 Training 0.9 0.0 1.0 0.1 0.7 0.4 0.0 
			 Professional fees 1.6 0.0 2.3 0.0 2.7 2.2 0.0 
			 Interest paid 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Board 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 
			 General 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.2 
			 Total 45.7 1.7 49.5 1.9 39.2 26.9 2.2 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are subject to rounding. 2. Figures for 2008-09 are subject to audit. Figures for the ASC are on a twelve month basis and figures for the final four months have not yet been disaggregated from the HCA costs (four months) as provided. 3. The administration costs for EP for 2007-08 and 2008-09 includes transitional costs which were for the HCA set up. The HCA administration costs for 2008-09 also include an element associated with transition. 4. The administration costs for the ASC are exclusively related to staff, subsistence, facilities. Costs on communications, for example, would be through the ASC programme. 
		
	
	The operating budget for the HCA was calculated on the basis that the HCA inherited the existing operating baselines of its predecessor organisations and programmes with no additional funding being provided (excluding the interim transitional set up costs).
	The administration costs of the investment arm of the Housing Corporation could be disaggregated only at disproportionate cost. As a result, the figures shown for 2006-07, 2007-08, and the first eight months in 2008-09, are not directly comparable with the figures provided for the HCA for the last four months of 2008-09.

Homes and Communities Agency: Finance

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the administration costs of the predecessors of the Homes and Communities Agency were as a percentage of  (a) income and  (b) grant-in-aid in each of the last three years.

Ian Austin: The predecessor bodies for the Homes and Communities Agency were English Partnerships, the investment arm of the Housing Corporation, and the Academy for Sustainable Communities. A range of departmental programmes also transferred to the Agency from Communities and Local Government.
	The following table provides the administration costs as a percentage of income and grant in aid for English Partnerships and the Academy for Sustainable Communities between 2005-06 and 2007-08.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   English partnerships  Academy for sustainable communities( 1) 
			  Year ended 31 March 2006   
			 Administration costs as percentage of income 10 12 
			 Administration costs as percentage of grant in aid 7 n/a 
			  Year ended 31 March 2007   
			 Administration costs as percentage of income 11 28 
			 Administration costs as percentage of grant in aid 15 n/a 
			  Year ended 31 March 2008   
			 Administration costs as percentage of income 11 27 
			 Administration costs as percentage of grant in aid 19 n/a 
			 n/a = Not applicable. (1) The Academy for Sustainable Communities did not receive grant in aid. 
		
	
	It is not possible to disaggregate the figures for the investment arm of the Housing Corporation without incurring disproportionate costs. Figures for the Housing Corporation can be found in its annual report and accounts.

Housing: Low Incomes

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many affordable homes have been built in Tamworth constituency since 2005;
	(2)  how many social rented homes have been built in Tamworth since 2005.

Ian Austin: Information on new homes built for social rent and affordable housing is not available by constituency. The following table shows the number of social rent and affordable homes built in Tamworth local authority, from 2005-06.
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Social rent new build 0 10 20 
			 All affordable new build 0 10 20 
			  Source:  Homes and Communities Agency Investment Management System (IMS), and local authority returns to CLG. 
		
	
	Not all social rented or affordable housing is provided by new build completions, as some supply can come from acquisitions. For example, an additional 10 affordable homes were acquired in Tamworth in 2005-06; these are not included in the table. The social rent figures differ from the number of affordable homes provided, because the affordable housing figures also include intermediate rent and low cost home ownership, as well as social rent.

Housing: Low Incomes

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many properties had been sold under the HomeBuy Direct Scheme in  (a) Barnsley and  (b) Doncaster at the latest date for which figures are available.

John Healey: There have been four properties sold under HomeBuy Direct in Barnsley and one in Doncaster.

Housing: Low Incomes

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many completed Social Homebuy transactions there have been in each local authority area in each year since the scheme's inception.

Ian Austin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Derby, South (Margaret Beckett) to the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) on 7 May 2009,  Official Report, columns 390-92W.

Local Authority Challenge Fund

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what criteria apply to local authorities for them to be eligible for assistance under the Local Authority Challenge Fund.

Ian Austin: The 100 million funding for the scheme announced in the Budget to build new social housing is available for all local authorities provided they are building on their own land to at least Sustainable Building Code Level 3, though higher code levels will be encouraged. Schemes must also offer value for money. Authorities must have submitted their bids either by the end of July or the end of October this year and completed schemes by March 2011.

Local Government

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the implications for the use of wellbeing powers by local councils of the ruling of the Court of Appeal in the case of Risk Management Partners Limited  v. Council of the London Borough of Brent and others; and if he will bring forward legislative proposals for a general power of competence for local councils.

Rosie Winterton: We are still considering what steps, if any, may be appropriate in the light of this judgment.

Local Government Finance: East Midlands

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what Specified Capital Grant has been provided to each local authority in the East Midlands in each year since 2001; what bids each authority has made to meet its obligation to provide disabled facilities grant in each such year; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Austin: The Government regard the Disabled Facilities Grant programme as an important means to help disabled and older people continue to live as independently as possible by having their homes adapted. That is why the Government have more than doubled the funds available for the programme from 57 million in 1997 to 158 million in 2008. In February 2008 the Government announced the removal of the 60:40 match funding requirement, therefore the 2008-09 planned expenditure table represents central Government's contribution towards Disabled Facilities Grant.
	Local authorities in England report information on the expenditure for Disabled Facilities Grants planned for the next financial year through the annual Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA) returns. Expenditure data are available for mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants. Usually expenditure data for discretionary Disabled Facilities Grants has been recorded with other grants and loans and there is no breakdown available.
	Expenditure data for mandatory and discretionary Disabled Facilities Grants were reported together for 2001-02. These planned figures are recorded on the HSSA returns for the following financial year. Planned expenditure figures include any payment planned to be paid as an instalment in that financial year.
	Specified Capital Grant also includes Private Sector Renewal and Regeneration grant. Allocations of Private Sector Renewal and Regeneration grant can only be provided for the period since 2006. Prior to 2006-07, local authorities were provided with Supported Capital Expenditure allowances for the renewal of private sector housing combined with that for their own stock. Private sector renewal expenditure totals cannot be disaggregated until 2006-07.
	A table with this information for the East Midlands has been deposited in the House Library.

Local Government Finance: ICT

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will ensure that the information contained in local spending reports is published in a format suitable for  (a) syndication and  (b) mashing via XML feed.

Rosie Winterton: Local spending reports are available on the Communities and Local Government website, and there are no plans to amend the way information in existing reports is made available. A consultation, which ended on 15 May 2009, considered how the reports should develop. The Government will consider all the representations submitted and we will publish our response later this year.

Local Government Services: Complaints

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will make it his policy to collect figures for the number of complaints received by local authorities on the standards of their services.

Rosie Winterton: It is for each local authority to ensure it has in place its own robust systems for handling complaints, including recording data about complaints, as recommended in the guidance on running a complaints system issued by the local government ombudsman.

Local Government: Pensions

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the level of  (a) employee and  (b) employer contribution to the Local Government Pension Scheme, as a percentage of the employee's salary is, for each of the different options within the scheme.

Rosie Winterton: The rate of contributions paid by employees who are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme is prescribed in Regulation 3 of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Benefits, Membership and Contributions) Regulations 2007 (SI 2007 No 1166, as amended).
	The rate of contribution paid by employers who participate in the Scheme is determined at each triennial valuation, the last being in March 2007. Details of contribution levels for each individual employer are not held centrally but a summary of recent triennial valuation exercises undertaken by the Society of County Treasurers can be found at:
	http://cipfa.org.uk/panels/pensions/download/2007_LGPS_Valuation_Survey_Results.pdf
	Individual Scheme administering authorities can provide details of contribution levels.

Markets

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment he has made of the role of street markets in local economies.

Ian Austin: The information is as follows:
	Planning Policy Statement 6Town Centres acknowledges the role of street markets:
	Street and covered markets (including farmers' markets) can make a valuable contribution to local choice and diversity in shopping as well as the vitality of town centres and to the rural economy.
	Draft PPS4Planning for Prosperous Economies, underlines this.
	In March 2009 CLG and DEFRA issued a joint statement to the Select Committee on Retail Markets:
	The Government recognises the valuable contribution that street, covered and farmers' markets can make to local choice and diversity in shopping, as well as to the vitality of town centres and the wider rural economy.
	The 2009 CLG report Looking After Our Town Centres refers to the contribution street markets can play in vibrant town centres.
	In May 2009 the then the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, (Mr. Wright) met with the National Association of British Market Authorities to hear about the role markets play in local economies.

National Skills Academies: Thurrock

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the establishment of the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills in Thurrock.

Shahid Malik: holding answer 29 June 2009
	 The Thames Gateway Skills Envoy, Sir David Melville, who reports jointly to Communities and Local Government and Business, Innovation and Skills Ministers, recently met Geoff Russell, Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Council, to discuss investment in skills in the Thames Gateway. Sir David emphasised to Mr. Russell the important contribution investment in skills in the Thames Gateway makes to the Government's objectives for the area, in particular holistic regeneration in places such as Thurrock.
	The National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills has submitted a proposal to the Learning and Skills Council seeking capital grant support for a proposed new training centre. The proposal is now subject to a prioritisation exercise being conducted by the council. An announcement about this is expected shortly.

Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006

Peter Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment he has made of the effect on biodiversity of the implementation of the provisions of section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006; and whether his Department has issued recent guidance to local authorities in respect of applications to create  (a) byways open to all traffic and  (b) restricted byways.

Huw Irranca-Davies: I have been asked to reply.
	My Department has commissioned a study to review the impact of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act section 40 biodiversity duty.
	This study, by Entec, will comprise a large scale survey of public bodies this summer, follow-up interviews with a smaller sample of bodies and views from other stakeholders. It is expected to report in November this year. The steering group includes representatives from DEFRA, Natural England, Devolved Administrations, local authorities and non-governmental organisations.
	A publication called Making the Best of Byways, published by DEFRA in 2005, provides advice on managing the different sorts of traffic on byways. In addition, DEFRA published guidance entitled Regulating the Use of Motor Vehicles on Rights of Way and Off Road, which was sent to all local highway authorities. We believe this is the first step in providing information to local authorities, the police and Community Safety Partnerships on getting the most out of existing legislation, and to encourage the formation of local partnerships.

Non-Domestic Rates

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much is expected to be raised in gross revenue from business rates in  (a) England and  (b) each local billing authority in England in 2009-10.

Rosie Winterton: Local authorities reported that they expect the gross revenue (before deductions for reliefs and collection costs) to be raised from non-domestic rates in 2009-10 in England to be 22.473 billion.
	A table giving details of the gross revenue to be raised from non-domestic rates in 2009-10 by each of the 326 billing authorities in England has been placed in the Library of the House.

Non-Domestic Rates: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how many businesses in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point receive small business rate relief;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of businesses in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point which qualify for small business rate relief but do not claim it.

Rosie Winterton: Castle Point borough council reported that the number of businesses receiving small business rate relief was 625 at 31 December 2006, the latest date for which data are available. At the same date, the number of businesses in Essex receiving small business rate relief was 11,426, excluding figures for Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock unitary authorities.
	We have not made an estimate of the number of businesses in Castle Point or Essex which qualify for small business rate relief but do not claim it.

Ordnance Survey: Public Relations

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much Ordnance Survey spent on external public relations in each of the last three years; and how much it will pay  (a) 3 Monkeys Communications and  (b) Target under its contracts with them.

Ian Austin: Expenditure by Ordnance Survey with external public relations organisations in the last three years was:
	
		
			
			 2006-07 66,445 
			 2007-08 25,470 
			 2008-09 69,721 
		
	
	3 Monkeys Communications and Target have recently pre-qualified to provide consumer sector public relations services under call-off arrangements. Payments to these companies under these arrangements will depend upon the nature and quantity of work commissioned from each company during the duration of these arrangements.

Recreation Spaces

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 11 May 2009,  Official Report, column 517W, on recreation spaces, whether his Department's green spaces database holds information on  (a) public gardens and  (b) gardens of residential properties.

Ian Austin: The green spaces database holds:
	Information on public gardens from the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. This can include other designated landscapes such as town squares.
	Residential gardens information from the Generalised Land Use Database (2005) categorised 'Gardens'. This is based on publicly available Ordnance Survey data.

Regional Planning and Development: East of England

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what strategic environmental assessments were produced for  (a) the East of England Regional Spatial Strategy and  (b) the South East Regional Spatial Strategy.

Ian Austin: Both the Regional Spatial Strategies for the South East and East of England Regions underwent sustainability appraisals as required by Section 5(4) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. The sustainability appraisal incorporates the requirements of the European Directive on Strategic Environmental Assessment.

Regional Planning and Development: South East

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the South East Regional Spatial Strategy will next be reviewed.

Shahid Malik: As the South East England Regional Spatial Strategy was published recently, the focus now is on implementing it. However, reviews of the policies in the regional spatial strategy on minerals and Gypsies, Travellers and travelling showpeople are under way. The regional planning body will need to consider when to do a full review against the backdrop of emerging legislation for integrated regional strategies. My officials will discuss with them a project plan for the review over the coming months.

Right to Buy Scheme

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what purposes revenue collected from Right to Buy receipts in each of the last three years has been allocated.

Ian Austin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 2 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 457-58W.
	The housing receipts (including Right to Buy) surrendered to the Exchequer are not hypothecated to specific policy areas but, together with other resources, contribute towards the overall fiscal package within which departmental public expenditure programmes are agreed as part of the spending review process.
	Receipts retained by Communities and Local Government (CLG) are used to support its housing and planning capital programme expenditure. The following table sets out the elements of CLG housing capital programme in the last three years, and the housing receipts (including Right to Buy) received by CLG.
	
		
			   million 
			   2008-09( 1)  2007-08  2006-07 
			  Housing receipts received by the Department 160 694 839 
			 
			  Housing expenditure
			 Major repairs allowance 1,241 1,277 1,311 
			 Regional housing pot: LA supported capital expenditure allocations 272 288 340 
			 ALMO supported borrowing allocations 896 926 782 
			 LSVT gap funding 123 79 32 
			 Affordable housing programme: capital investment 2,625 2,029 1,921 
			 Disabled facilities grant 146 127 121 
			 Regional housing pot: private sector renewal: capital grants 347 437 388 
			 Housing market renewal 356 370 315 
			 (1) Figures for 2008-09 are current estimates.

Social Rented Housing: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many representations his Department has received from  (a) individuals and  (b) social housing tenants in (i) Essex and (ii) Castle Point on (A) a further stock transfer ballot and (B) a transfer of housing stock to registered social landlords; and how many such representations were in favour of a housing stock transfer to registered social landlords.

Ian Austin: During the last five years there have been two housing stock transfers to registered social landlords in Essex, at Braintree and Rochford. The Department received five representations from social housing tenants against the housing stock transfer proposals in Braintree. The Department did not receive any representations in respect of the Rochford housing stock transfer.
	The Department received four representations in 2008 from social housing tenants in Castle Point in relation to the council's proposed housing stock transfer. The representations did not comment on a further stock transfer ballot. None of the representations received were in favour of housing transfer stock.

Social Rented Housing: Islington

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many properties he expects to be  (a) completed and  (b) purchased for social rent in the London Borough of Islington in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) each of the next four years.

Ian Austin: The forecast completions for social rented homes approved to date for the National Affordable Housing Programme in Islington are:
	
		
			   Forecast completions 
			 2009-10 164 
			 2010-11 310 
			 2011-12 188 
			 2012-13 27 
			 2013-14 67 
		
	
	Information is not available on projections of social rented properties to be purchased in Islington.

Social Rented Housing: Tamworth

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) local authority and  (b) housing association homes in Tamworth met the decent homes standard in each of the last five years.

Ian Austin: The information requested is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Social sector non-decent dwellings in Tamworth 
			   Local authority  RSL 
			  As at 1 April  each year  Non-decent  All stock  Non-decent  All stock 
			 2004 1,996 4,891 n/a n/a 
			 2005 1,371 4,729 218 1,347 
			 2006 1,356 4,679 65 1,373 
			 2007 439 4,613 90 1,407 
			 2008 429 4,590 79 1,467 
			  Sources: 1. Annual returns, from all LAs that own social housing stock, to Communities and Local Government. 2. Annual return from registered social landlords as at 31 March each year. RSR stock figures include owned general needs, supported housing and housing for older people, and non-decent stock is reported on this basis.

Stop Notices: Travelling People

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department has issued on whether stop notices can be used against temporary dwellings erected by Travellers which are not caravans.

Shahid Malik: Guidance on the use of stop notices is contained in Annex 3 of ODPM Circular 10/97: Enforcing planning control: legislative provisions and procedural requirements. The circular states that a stop notice may be used to prohibit the use of land as a site for a caravan occupied by any person as his or her own main residence. A stop notice cannot prohibit the use of any building as a dwelling house. The Department has not issued guidance on whether stop notices can be used against temporary dwellings.

Temporary Accommodation: Cleveland

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many households were living in temporary accommodation in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency at the latest date for which figures are available.

Ian Austin: Information about English local housing authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected at local authority level, and published by the Department in the quarterly Statistical Release on Statutory Homelessness (available both in the Library and via the CLG website):
	www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/homelessnessql2009
	The quarterly release includes a supplementary table showing key information at local authority level. The latest temporary accommodation figures reported by all local authorities (including Middlesbrough), as at 31 March 2009, can be found in column X of this table:
	www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1251701.xls

Urban Areas

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research his Department has evaluated on the social effects on local areas of prosperous town centres.

Ian Austin: The main sources of research, which my Department has considered during the course of its work on town centres, include:
	Vital and Viable Town Centres: Meeting the ChallengeURBED, 2004, HMSO;
	Smaller Towns Report: Delivering retail-led renaissance in towns and smaller citiesUCL, 2004, BCSC;
	The Role and Vitality of Secondary ShoppingCBRE, 2004, The National Retail Planning Forum (sponsored by BCSC Education Trust, Marks  Spencer and the ODPM);
	Policy Evaluation of the Effectiveness of PPG6CBRE, January 2004, ODPM;
	The Lyons Inquiry into Local Government, Place-shaping: a shared ambition for the future of local government, Final ReportSir Michael Lyons, March 2007;
	A Balance of Trade, Report of the Commission on Retail Conservation to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, March 2007;
	Clone Town Britain, the loss of identity on the nation's high streetsNew Economics Foundation, September 2004;
	Ghost Town BritainNew Economics Foundation, 2005;
	High Street Britain 2015House of Commons All-Party Parliamentary Small Shops Group, 2006;
	Mixed Use Development: Practice and PotentialDTLR, March 2002, HMSO;
	Managing Urban Spaces in Town CentresGood Practice Guide, Chesterton for the Association of Town Centre Management (sponsored by DOE, Scottish Enterprise, Boots the Chemists, Marks  Spencer).
	We have also evaluated and taken account of similar work produced by stakeholders such as individual retailers, Friends of the Earth, Accessible Retail and the Association of Convenience Stores.

TREASURY

Council Tax: Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to implement the recommendation of the Valuation Office Agency's (VOA) recent framework review of a statutory information gateway between the VOA and billing authorities for council tax valuations.

Stephen Timms: The Government are considering the recommendation for a statutory information gateway.

Departmental Buildings

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what  (a) rules and  (b) procedures apply to (i) the sale by Departments of property they own and (ii) the allocation of any proceeds from the sale.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 29 June 2009
	All central Government Departments were required to publish an Asset Management Strategy (AMS) around the time of the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review. Departmental capital expenditure limits are agreed at spending reviews and set net of the capital income that Departments are able to retain in capital budgets, as set out in AMSs. To incentivise efficiency in asset management, Departments are able to retain up to 20 per cent. more than the forecast capital income to fund further investment. Any further retention of income is considered on a case-by-case basis by the Treasury, with the aim of encouraging participation in wider market activities and disposal of surplus assets.
	These arrangements are set out in the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance issued annually by the Treasury, which is available at:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psr_bc_consolidated_budgeting

Departmental Plants

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on pot plants in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Treasury spent 12,812 in 2007-08 and 12,564 in 2008-09 on the provision, supply and maintenance of potted plants displayed in the common areas of 1 Horse Guards Road, including the external courtyards, the reception of the building and some office spaces.

Departmental Research

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the relationship between the enforcement of fiscal rules and levels of public debt.

Liam Byrne: Analysis of the performance of the fiscal framework is provided in The Government's fiscal framework, HM Treasury, November 2008.

Equitable Life Assurance Society

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with  (a) Equitable Life pensioners,  (b) representatives of the company,  (c) the Parliamentary Ombudsman and  (d) others on Equitable Life .

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 10 June,  Official Report, column 904W.

Financial Services Compensation Scheme

Colin Challen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  which organisations have received funding from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme; and how much each has received;
	(2)  which organisations have provided funding for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme; and how much each has provided.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) was required to make payments to Abbey National and ING Direct in order to transfer retail deposits, up to the FSCS deposit compensation limit, from Bradford and Bingley and the UK subsidiaries of certain Icelandic banks. In addition, the FSCS is paying compensation directly to retail depositors with the UK branch of Landsbanki and the London Scottish Bank in accordance with the scheme rules.
	The FSCS is ordinarily financed by levies on the financial services industry collected in accordance with the scheme rules. However, in order for the FSCS to make the above payments the Treasury has provided loans to the FSCS.
	Details of the above compensation payments including Treasury's loans to the FSCS are set out in the Budget report published on 22 April 2009. The amount outstanding on the Treasury's loans to the FSCS as at 31 March 2009 will be published in the Treasury's Resource Accounts for 2008-09.
	The FSCS also paid additional amounts on behalf of the Government and the Icelandic deposit-guarantee scheme to ensure that retail depositors with the UK branch of Landsbanki and the London Scottish Bank were fully compensated. Funds to meet this expenditure have also been provided to the FSCS, by the Treasury.

Individual Savings Accounts: Merseyside

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of residents of  (a) Merseyside and  (b) Crosby who have individual savings accounts.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: HM Revenue and Customs can only provide the analysis of the proportion of residents in Merseyside and Crosby who have Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) at disproportionate cost. However, regional ISA statistics are published on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/isa/table9_12.htm

Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander

Mark Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will establish an inquiry into the events leading to and following the failure of Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander (Isle of Man); and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander Isle of Man (KSF IOM) is not a subsidiary of KSF in the UK, but of the Icelandic parent company. Oversight of KSF IOM is the responsibility of the Isle of Man's Financial Supervision Commission and therefore the question of a review would be primarily a matter for the Isle of Man Government.

Loans: Government

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the conditions necessary for the lowering of borrowing costs; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce the cost of Government borrowing.

Liam Byrne: The Government's debt management objective is to minimise, over the long term, the cost of meeting the Government's financing needs, taking into account risk, while ensuring that debt management policy is consistent with the aims of monetary policy. The Government sets the UK Debt Management Office (DMO) an annual remit to meet its financing requirements consistent with this policy.
	Further details can be found in the Debt and reserves management report 2009-10 published alongside the Budget, and is available on:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/bud_bud09_debtreserves.htm

Members: Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Child Benefit Office in Washington plans to reply to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Edinburgh West of 29 April and 10 June 2009 on his constituent Miss Laura Grieve.

Stephen Timms: The Child Benefit Office replied to the hon. Member on 25 June 2009.

Non-Domestic Rates

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on small and medium-sized businesses of the ending of transitional relief for business rates from April 2009 under the Non-Domestic Rating (Chargeable Amounts) England Regulations 2004.

Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Hollobone) on 2 June 2009,  Official Report, column 145.

Non-Domestic Rates: Valuation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 28 October 2008,  Official Report, column 888W, on non-domestic rates: valuation, whether  (a) micro wind turbines and  (b) small-scale solar or photovoltaic cells will be (i) liable, (ii) valued and (iii) taxed for business rates as part of the 2010 revaluation process.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Micro generation plant and machinery, including micro wind turbines and small-scale solar or photovoltaic cells, installed on or before 31 March 2010 are, in principle, liable to be included in the revalued rateable values due to come into force on 1 April 2010.
	In practical terms, very basic micro generation plant, particularly small micro wind turbines and small-scale solar or photovoltaic cells, add very little if any to the annual rental value of a property and will therefore have negligible impact on the rateable value even when rateable.

Operational Efficiency Programme Review

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what role the Shareholder Executive has in the Operational Efficiency Programme review of  (a) the Met Office and  (b) other trading funds; and whether (i) Ministers and (ii) officials (A) have met or (B) plan to meet private sector stakeholders as part of the review.

Liam Byrne: The Shareholder Executive acts as adviser to HMT with respect to the Operational Efficiency Programme (OEP) and leads the review process for individual assets. This is the case with Met Office and other trading funds. Both Ministers and officials have met, and will continue to meet, with private sector stakeholders as part of the OEP process.

Pensions

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what projections for UK pensioner income from funded pensions and savings underlie the projections for pension credit expenditure in Table 4.1 on page 36 of the Long-term Public Finance Report of March 2008;
	(2)  what the breakdown is of the different components of state pension expenditure identified in footnote 1 to Table 4.1 on page 36 of the Long-term Public Finance Report of March 2008.

Liam Byrne: A breakdown of the components of the state pension expenditure projections shown in the Long-term Public Finance Report and information on the underlying assumptions is published on the Department for Work and Pensions website at
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk
	The Long-term Public Finance Report is based only on the potential impact of demographic change on the public finances over the coming decades, and does not make assumptions on future changes to the levels of savings or pension contributions.

Revenue and Customs: ICT

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2009,  Official Report, column 444W, on HM Revenue and Customs: closures, what the cost is of the improvements to HM Revenue and Customs IT systems referred to in the Answer; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: HMRC has a programme of continuous improvement to its IT systems, which includes the improvement referred to in my previous answer. This year, HMRC is investing 6 per cent. of its departmental budget of 4 billion in improving and enhancing its IT systems. The key aspects of the improvement programme are detailed in the 2009-10 HMRC Business Plan published on the HMRC website.

Seaton Delaval Hall

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what response time has been agreed between the District Valuer and HM Revenue and Customs to assess the value of the Seaton Delaval Hall estate for the purpose of offers in lieu.

Stephen Timms: Under the terms of the Service Level Agreement between Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and the Valuation Office Agency the target is to report formal inheritance tax cases within an average of 80 working days but complex cases can take longer. The district valuer is giving this particular case urgent attention.

Tax: Revenues

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of public debt interest as a percentage of tax revenue in each of the next five years.

Liam Byrne: Projections for debt interest to 2010-11 are shown in Table C9 of the Budget 2009 document. Projections for current receipts to 2013-14 are shown in Table C4 of the same document.
	Debt interest to 2010-11 has been forecast consistent with the economic assumptions and policy decisions set out in Budget 2009.

Taxation: Domicile

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons his Department does not hold information on the number of claims for non-domiciled status for tax purposes which have been  (a) granted and  (b) refused.

Stephen Timms: Under the self assessment tax regime, individuals who are not domiciled in the UK can claim the remittance basis of taxation. If they do so, HMRC may accept that return or they may open an inquiry into the domicile issue. As a result of that inquiry the individual and HMRC may agree the domicile was correct or incorrect. There is no central record of the number of these inquiries where domicile was considered.

Taxation: Gaming Machines

Don Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was collected in amusement machine licence duty in respect of each category of amusement machine in each year since its inception.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Amusement Machine Licence Duty (AMLD) is collected by HM Revenue and Customs, not the Gambling Commission.
	Information on AMLD receipts broken down by machine category is not available. The total annual monthly receipts from amusement machine licence duty can be found in the HM Revenue and Customs Betting and Gaming Statistical Bulletin, which is available from the HMRC website address at:
	http://www.uktradeinfo.co.uk/index.cfm?task=bullbett

Taxation: Pensioners

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of income tax relief on pension contributions which will accrue to  (a) 45 per cent. taxpayers and  (b) 40 per cent. taxpayers in 2011-12; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of the income tax exemption of pension contributions as a result of the introduction of the 45 per cent. tax rate from 2011-12 in the first 12 months of operation; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The Government announced that the introduction in April 2011 of a 45 per cent. top rate of income tax will be replaced by a 50 per cent. rate applying to income over 150,000 from April 2010. This was accompanied by an announcement that tax relief on pension contributions will be restricted for those with incomes over 150,000. Relief will be tapered away so that for those with incomes of 180,000 and over it is worth 20 per cent. the same as to a basic rate taxpayer.
	It is estimated that in 2011-12, around 13 per cent. of tax relief on individual and employee pension contributions will accrue to additional higher rate taxpayers and 49 per cent. will accrue to higher rate taxpayers.
	Data on employer contributions are not available.

Taxation: Rebates

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2009,  Official Report, columns 982-83W, on taxation: rebates, what the longest time taken by HM Revenue and Customs to process an application for a tax refund was in the last 12 months.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink) on 10 June 2009,  Official Report, column 906W.

Valuation Office

Bob Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 27 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 1049-50W, on the Valuation Office, if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of each meeting of  (a) the electronic capture of hard copy records project board and  (b) the installation of a geographical information system project board.

Stephen Timms: The minutes of both the electronic capture of hard copy records project board and the geographical information system project board are commercially sensitive.
	However, progress on each of the projects has been published in the VOA's Annual Report and Forward Plan and has been reported in answer to previous questions given to the hon. Member on 5 June 2008,  Official Report, column 1086W and to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman), on 27 April 2009,  Official Report, column 1050W.

Valuation Office Agency: Pay

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any performance-related incentives are available to staff of the Valuation Office Agency.

Stephen Timms: The Valuation Office Agency operates a performance related particularly significant contribution award scheme which rewards staff who consistently deliver a level of performance above expectations while meeting all of their objectives throughout the performance year.
	In conjunction with the annual performance process, the Agency operates a recognition voucher scheme which can be used to recognise specific examples of commendable performance at the time it is achieved.

HEALTH

Abortion

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of legal abortions carried out on women aged under 18 years in the latest period for which figures are available.

Gillian Merron: There were 19,387 abortions performed on women under 18 in 2008 in England and Wales.

Alcohol and Drug Misuse: Elderly

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged over 65 years old resident in each local authority area were treated for  (a) alcohol-related and  (b) drug-related health problems in each year since 1997.

Gillian Merron: The information available on the number of people aged over 65 who received specialist treatment for drug dependence from 2004-05 by local drug action team and alcohol related admissions from 2002-03 by local authority has been placed in the Library.
	 Note s :
	The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse began collecting data on the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) in April 2004. The NDTMS collects information about clients in contact with structured drug treatment in England.
	Others may have received treatment for drug related health problems in other settings, which do not report via the NDTMS.
	The number of alcohol-related admissions provided is based on the methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO). Following international best practice, the NWPHO methodology includes a wide range of diseases and injuries in which alcohol plays a part and estimates the proportion of cases that are attributable to the consumption of alcohol. However, data using this methodology is only available from 2002-03 onwards. Details of the conditions and associated proportions can be found in the report Jones et al. (2008) Alcohol-attributable fractions for England: Alcohol-attributable mortality and hospital admissions, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital admissions there have been for alcohol-related conditions for  (a) males and  (b) females aged (i) under 10, (ii) 10 to 13, (iii) 14 to 17 and (iv) 18 or more years old in (A) each region and (B) each primary care trust in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The information requested has been placed in the Library. However, it should be noted that to protect patient confidentiality it is not possible to provide primary care trust (PCT) level data for the age groups under 10, 10 to 13 and 14 to 17-years-old. Therefore, data have been provided for under 18 years old and over 18 years old, additionally for some PCTs it has been necessary to combine these two age groups to protect patient confidentiality.

Carer's Allowance

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the level of the carer's allowance will next be reviewed.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 19 June 2009
	I have been asked to reply.
	The level of carer's allowance is reviewed annually in order to establish whether it has retained its value in relation to the general level of prices in Great Britain. Following the last review in 2008, the rate was increased from 50.55 to 53.10 a week from April 2009. The next such review will be conducted in the autumn.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) people,  (b) under 18 year-olds,  (c) under 16 year-olds and  (d) under 12 year-olds were given repeat drug rehabilitation treatment for each type of drug in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: Data regarding the number of people undergoing repeat drug rehabilitation treatment are not collected centrally.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the reasons are for the 9 per cent. reduction in the pooled treatment budget for Milton Keynes from the National Treatment Agency in 2009-10;
	(2)  what funding has been given to Milton Keynes from the National Treatment Agency in each of the last five years; and how much has been so allocated in the next two years;
	(3)  how many problematic drug users  (a) there were in Milton Keynes and  (b) received treatment in Milton Keynes in each of the last five years. [Official Report, 9 September 2009, Vol. 496, c. 32MC .]

Gillian Merron: Until 2008-09 the pooled treatment budget (PTB) was allocated against a basket of indicators of social and economic deprivation known to reflect drug use as the best available proxy of treatment need. As a result of differences in performance between drug partnerships in getting people into treatment this funding formula was resulting in unjustifiable variations in the amount of central subvention for each person's treatment.
	2009-10 is the second year of a process which seeks to produce a fairer allocation system which more accurately matches need, activity and resources.
	The new process is based on three elements:
	25 per cent. of the allocation is based on the indicators underpinning the previous formula to reflect the differential cost of responding to different levels of complex need such as homelessness, mental heath, family breakdown and unemployment;
	75 per cent. is based on activity in the treatment system with areas being allocated a set amount per person treated effectively; and
	The final element is an area cost adjustment figure to reflect the varying costs of delivering services in different part of the country.
	To promote an orderly alteration to service planning, the change is being introduced over three years with the annual maximum reduction set at 5 per cent. in 2008-09, 15 per cent. in 2009-10 and 30 per cent. in 2010-11.
	Funding allocated to Milton Keynes in each of the last five years is tabled as follows:
	
		
			
			 2005-06 1,066,714 
			 2006-07 1,221,155 
			 2007-08 1,221,155 
			 2008-09 1,165,052 
			 2009-10 1,084,242 
		
	
	For the next two years, the indicative amount for 2010-11 is 925,000 (announced January 2008). This, however, was based on performance at the time predicted to grow at 1 per cent. a year. Growth in Milton Keynes is currently anticipated to be in excess of this so the final allocation may increase. The exact allocation will not be known until January 2010.
	Based on data collected by the university of Glasgow covering the period 2004-05 to 2006-07, the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse have advised Milton Keynes that an estimated 930 problematic drug users (PDUs) should be used for planning purposes. However, there is insufficient data on the number of PDUs to determine how the PDU population has changed over time.
	The number of PDUs in treatment in Milton Keynes for each of the last fives years is tabled as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004-05 149 
			 2005-06 221 
			 2006-07 264 
			 2007-08 337 
			 2008-09 437

Elderly: Health Services

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish his Department's prevention package for older people; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: We aim to publish the prevention package for older people in the summer.

Fluoridation

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many letters his Department received requesting fluoridation of the public water supply in each year since 2000.

Ann Keen: Section 58 of the Water Act 2003 made strategic health authorities responsible for responding to requests to fluoridate a water supply. We have no record of any letters requesting the Department to fluoridate a water supply since 2000.

Fluoridation: North West

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many members of the North West Fluoridation Evaluation Group set up by the North West Strategic Health Authority have expressed public opposition to fluoridation of public drinking water in the North West.

Ann Keen: This information is not held centrally.

Fluoridation: North West

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated capital cost is of implementing the fluoridation of public drinking water in the North West.

Ann Keen: The capital costs will depend upon the extent of the areas it is proposed to fluoridate and are likely to be spread over a number of years. We understand that the North West strategic health authority has received estimates of between 24 million for fluoridating one area of the region and 105 million for a scheme extending more widely across the region. The figures must be seen in the context of the 2.7 billion spent annually on national health service dentistry.

Fractures: Elderly

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 11 May 2009,  Official Report, column 623W, on fractures: elderly, to which independent inspectorates primary care trusts have to demonstrate that they are meeting their responsibilities with regard to implementing National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guidance on fragility fractures, falls and osteoporosis.

Phil Hope: The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. They are the body to which primary care trusts have to demonstrate that they are meeting their responsibilities with regard to implementing National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence clinical guidance on fragility fractures, falls and osteoporosis.

Health Services: Islington

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of expenditure on  (a) primary care and  (b) hospital care in the London Borough of Islington in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) each of the next four years.

Mike O'Brien: The information requested is not held centrally.
	The London borough of Islington is covered by Islington primary care trust (PCT). PCTs fund primary care and hospital care services from their revenue allocations. The following table provides the funding allocated to Islington PCT for 2009-10 and 2010-11.
	
		
			   A llocation  ( 000 )  Two year increase 
			  PCT  2009-10  2010-11  000  Percentage 
			 Islington PCT 412,126 433,316 41,655 10.6 
		
	
	Revenue allocations post 2010-11 have not yet been determined.
	Once the allocations have been made, it is for PCTs to commission the health care services they need to meet the needs of the populations they serve, taking into account both local priorities and the NHS operating framework.

Hospitals

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what records his Department holds on the average period between the arrival at  (a) Papworth Hospital,  (b) Norfolk and Norwich Hospital,  (c) Basildon Hospital and  (d) all hospitals in England of a patient needing an emergency angioplasty to the time at which the balloon begins to inflate in the patient's artery.

Ann Keen: Data from the national audit of treatment of heart attack(1) show that the average periods between arrival at hospital for emergency angioplasty and balloon inflation are:
	Papworth32 minutes;
	Norfolk and Norwich77 minutes (five patients in 2008-09);
	Basildon Hospitalno dataprimary angioplasty programme due to start in the autumn; and
	All hospitals in England73 minutes (see following note).
	 Note:
	The average of all hospitals includes hospitals with large numbers of emergency angioplasty patients and hospitals which have recently started an emergency angioplasty programme with small number of patients. A more meaningful figure is the average for all patients in England which is 60 minutes.
	(1)( ) Source:
	Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Projectdata for 2008-09 based on admission diagnosis.

Local Investment Finance Trust Schemes

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects of changes to international financial reporting standards on  (a) capital accounting in relation to and  (b) recurrent costs of (i) existing and (ii) proposed local investment finance trust schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) apply to public sector accounts with effect from 2009-10. Departmental end-of-year accounts will be prepared on this basis, including those of national health service primary care trusts.
	In preparation for the introduction of IFRS from 2009-10, the Department assessed the impact should all NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) projects come on to the public sector balance sheet. It was estimated that NHS LIFT assets with an aggregate value of 105 million could come on balance sheet in 2009-10.
	Schemes coming on balance sheet will also create a recurring additional revenue impact in the NHS accounts. For 2009-10, it was estimated that this would amount to a total of 36 million for NHS LIFT schemes. The Department's assessment also included consideration of proposed NHS LIFT projects.
	HM Treasury published consolidated budgeting guidance (IFRS updated) on 12 June 2009. This included a chapter on the budgeting treatment of private finance initiative schemes, including NHS LIFT, under IFRS. The Department is working to establish exactly how this guidance will be applied in the health sector and will issue advice and guidance to the NHS in due course.

Malaria

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the expenditure incurred by the NHS on the treatment of malaria in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: There has been no estimate made of national health service expenditure on the treatment of malaria in the past five years.
	Malaria does not naturally occur in the United Kingdom. Cases in the UK are imported. The following table shows the number of cases diagnosed in the UK since 1999 by the Health Protection Agency's Special Pathogens Reference Unit.
	
		
			  Cases diagnosed 
			   Number 
			 1999 2,045 
			 2000 2,069 
			 2001 2,050 
			 2002 1,945 
			 2003 1,722 
			 2004 1,660 
			 2005 1,754 
			 2006 1,758 
			 2007 1,548 
			 2008 1,370 
			  Source: Data provided by the Health Protection Agency's Malaria Reference Laboratory.

Malnutrition

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the  (a) extent and  (b) incidence of malnutrition in England.

Gillian Merron: There is no national assessment of the extent and incidence of malnutrition.
	To improve the nutrition of the population, an independent Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board was set up to monitor progress against the actions named in the plan, chaired by Gordon Lishman, ex-director general of Age Concern. The board will submit its final report in summer 2009.

NHS Business Services Authority

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many full-time equivalent employees are employed by the NHS Business Services Authority in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne;
	(2)  what his policy is on inviting in-house bids for IT applications and systems developments in the NHS Business Services Authority;
	(3)  where the NHS Business Services Authority's  (a) data centres and  (b) service centres are located; how many people are employed at each location; and whether potential future locations for such centres have been identified.

Mike O'Brien: There are 1,103.58 whole-time equivalent employees working at NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) within the City of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
	There is no policy within NHSBSA relating to inviting in-house bids for information technology (IT) applications and systems developments. As part of the business case process associated with any bid opportunities, the existing in-house solutions are examined and considered in terms of their capability to deliver against the objectives set out in the business case.
	Information on NHSBSA's IT centres and staff employed is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  NHSBSA staff split by function and location as at 31 May 2009 
			  NHS Business Service Authority (NHSBSA) data centre and service centre locations  (A) Total NHSBSA staff employed at 31 May 2009  (B) Number of IT data centre staff employed by the NHSBSA (included in total column A) 
			  Corporate HQ and services (including finance, HR, commercial)   
			 Newcastle 140  
			
			  Prescription services   
			 Newcastle 676 7 
			 Wakefield 250  
			 Bolton 325  
			 West Bromwich (closes 31 July 2009) 121  
			
			  Patient services and student grants   
			 Newcastle 265  
			 Fleetwood 88  
			
			  Pensions   
			 Fleetwood 405  
			
			  Dental   
			 Eastbourne 76  
			
			  Supply chain management   
			 Alfreton 14  
			
			  Counter fraud and security management   
			 London 84 3 
			 Regional offices (x 8) 56  
			 Total 2,500 10 
		
	
	Potential future locations for these data and service centres have not been determined.

NHS Innovation Expo

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much he expects the NHS Innovation Expo event to cost; and from the budgets of which NHS organisations funds will be drawn for that event.

Gillian Merron: The Healthcare Innovation Expo was the biggest public sector event of its type and brought together the best in healthcare innovation from the public, private, voluntary, scientific and academic communities. It was a unique combination of:
	an innovative trade fair including a diversity of exhibitors;
	a high profile main stage speaker programme;
	a comprehensive programme of innovation seminars; and
	an interactive on and off multimedia event.
	Net cost to the Department for the NHS Innovation Expo is expected to be 630,000.
	The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement will contribute a further 350,000.
	The Department has worked closely with the private sector to deliver this event; in total they are expected to contribute a further 1.2 million.

NHS Innovation Expo

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people he expects to attend the NHS Innovation Expo event.

Gillian Merron: Total registrations for the Expo were 5,882. Delegates include national health service and social care chief executives, clinicians, front-line staff, managers and others from patient and other voluntary organisations, academics and researchers in industry.
	The Healthcare Innovation Expo was the biggest public sector event of its type and brought together the best in healthcare innovation from the public, private, voluntary, scientific and academic communities. It was a unique combination of:
	an innovative trade fair including a diversity of exhibitors;
	a high profile main stage speaker programme;
	a comprehensive programme of innovation seminars; and
	an interactive on and off multimedia event.

NHS: Death Rates

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 11 May 2009,  Official Report, column 628W, on NHS: death rates, how many alerts the Healthcare Commission received in respect of each patient group between July 2008 and March 2009.

Mike O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 27 April 2009,  Official Report, column 1079W on NHS: Death Rate, which details how many alerts the Healthcare Commission received in respect of each patient group between 1 July 2008 and 31 March 2009.

NHS: Religious Practice

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the NHS budget has been spent on  (a) (i) chaplaincy and (ii) other religious services for each faith and  (b) other similar non-faith services.

Phil Hope: National health service bodies are not required to report their planned or actual spending on chaplaincy and related services to the Department. When planning such services, NHS bodies should take due account of their legal duties, the composition of the communities they serve, and the needs and circumstances of their patients, service users and local populations.
	The Department's guidance for the NHS is set out in 'NHS Chaplaincy: Meeting the Religious and Spiritual Needs of Patients and Staff' (November 2003). A copy has been placed in the Library.

NHS: Stress

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether provision is made within the NHS for staff training in meditation techniques.

Gillian Merron: This information is not held centrally as any decision to provide staff training in meditation techniques would be taken locally.

Nutrition

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish the Nutrition Delivery Action Plan Delivery Board's report.

Phil Hope: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 16 June 2009,  Official Report, column 228W.

Obesity: Medical Treatments

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people of each age under the age of 18 years were prescribed medicine on the NHS to help them lose weight in each of the last three years; and what types of medicine have been prescribed for this purpose.

Gillian Merron: The information requested is not available in the format requested relating to the number of people prescribed medicine.
	Data are available from the NHS Information Centre on the total number of prescription items for drugs dispensed in England in the community for the treatment of obesity over the last three years. This information is provided in the following table:
	
		
			   British National Formulary chemical name  Items 
			  2006 Diethylpropion Hydrochloride 7 
			  Orlistat 775,718 
			  Phentermine 15 
			  Rimonabant 23,532 
			  Sibutramine 264,403 
			 2006 total  1,063,675 
			
			  2007 Diethylpropion Hydrochloride 3 
			  Orlistat 828,795 
			  Rimonabant 113,172 
			  Sibutramine 294,999 
			 2007 total  1,236,969 
			
			  2008 Diethylpropion Hydrochloride 6 
			  Orlistat 849,809 
			  Rimonabant 106,720 
			  Sibutramine 325,701 
			 2008 total  1,282,236

Obesity: Surgery

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in each age category under the age of 18 years underwent surgery for obesity in each of the last three years; and what surgical treatments have been administered to treat the condition.

Gillian Merron: The requested data are not available. However, the following table provides data on the number of finished consultant episodes (FCEs) for patients under 18 year olds (0-17 years old) with a primary diagnosis of obesity(1) and a main or secondary procedure of Bariatric Surgery(2) for 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08:
	
		
			   Total FCEs 
			 2005-06 4 
			 2006-07 2 
			 2007-08 6 
			  Notes:  Finished Consultant Episode (FCE) A finished consultant episode (FCE) is defined as a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. The figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. (1) Primary diagnosis The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital. The ICD-10 codes used to identify Obesity is as follows E66Obesity  Main procedure The main procedure is the first recorded procedure or intervention in the HES data set and is usually the most resource intensive procedure or intervention performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main procedure when looking at admission details, (e.g. time waited), but a more complete count of episodes with a particular procedure is obtained by looking at the main and the secondary procedure.  Secondary procedure As well as the main operative procedure, there are up to 23 (11 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and three prior to 2002-03) secondary operative procedure fields in HES that show secondary or additional procedures performed on the patient during the episode of care. (2) Number of episodes with 'Bariatric Surgery' as a main or secondary procedure These figures represent the number of episodes where the procedure (or intervention) was recorded in any of the 24 (12 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and four prior to 2002-03) operative procedure fields in a HES record. A record is only included once in each count, even if the procedure is recorded in more than one operative procedure field of the record. It should be noted that more procedures are carried out than episodes with a main or secondary procedure. For example, patients under going a 'cataract operation' would tend to have at least two proceduresremoval of the faulty lens and the fitting of a new onecounted in a single episode. The OPCS-4.2 procedure codes for bariatric surgery in years 2005-06 to 2007-08 are: G01.2 Oesophagogastrectomy and anastomosis of oesophagus to transposed jejunum G01.3 Oesophagogastrectomy and anastomosis of oesophagus to jejunum nec G27.1 Total gastrectomy and excision of surrounding tissue G27.2 Total gastrectomy and anastomosis of oesophagus to duodenum G27.3 Total gastrectomy and interposition of jejunum G27.4 Total gastrectomy and anastomosis of oesophagus to transposed jejunum G27.5 Total gastrectomy and anastomosis of oesophagus to jejunum nec G27.8 Other specified total excision of stomach G27.9 Unspecified total excision of stomach G28.1 Partial gastrectomy and anastomosis of stomach to duodenum G28.2 Partial gastrectomy and anastomosis of stomach to transposed jejunum G28.3 Partial gastrectomy and anastomosis of stomach jejunum nec G28.8 Other specific partial excision of stomach G28.9 Unspecified partial excision of stomach G30.1 Gastroplasty nec G30.2 Partitioning of stomach nec G30.8 Other specified plastic operations on stomach G30.9 Unspecified plastic operations on stomach G31.1 Bypass of stomach by anastomosis of oesophagus to duodenum G31.2 Bypass of stomach by anastomosis of stomach to duodenum G31.3 Revision of anastomosis of stomach to duodenum G31.4 Conversion to anastomosis of stomach to duodenum G31.8 Other specified connection of stomach to duodenum G31.9 Unspecified connection of stomach to duodenum G31.0 Conversion from previous anastomosis of stomach to duodenum 
			 G32.1 Bypass of stomach by anastomosis of stomach to transposed jejunum G32.2 Revision of anastomosis of stomach to transposed jejunum G32.3 Conversion to anastomosis of stomach to transposed jejunum G32.8 Other specified connection of stomach to transposed jejunum G32.9 Unspecified connection of stomach to transposed jejunum G32.0 Conversion from previous anastomosis of stomach to transposed  jejunum G33.1 Bypass of stomach by anastomosis of stomach to jejunum nec G33.2 Revision of anastomosis of stomach to jejunum nec G33.3 Conversion of anastomosis of stomach to jejunum nec G33.8 Other specified other connection of stomach to jejunum G33.9 Unspecified other connection of stomach to jejunum G33.0 Conversion from previous anastomosis of stomach to jejunum nec G38.8 Other specified other open operations on stomach G48.1 Insertion of gastric bubble G48.2 Attention to gastric bubble The following additional four digit OPCS-4.3 and OPCS-4.4 codes are used in the 2006-07 and 2007-08 data (these are in addition to the OPCS 4.2 codes listed above): G28.4 Sleeve gastrectomy and duodenal switch G28.5 Sleeve gastrectomy nec G30.3 Partitioning of stomach using band G30.4 Partitioning of stomach using staples G31.5 Closure of connection of stomach and duodenum G31.6 Attention to connection of stomach and duodenum G32.4 Closure of connection of stomach to transposed jejunum G32.5 Attention to connection of stomach to transposed jejunum G33.5 Closure of connection of stomach to jejunum nec G33.6 Attention to connection of stomach to jejunum G38.7 Removal of gastric band G71.6 Duodenal switch The term bariatric surgery is often used to define a group of procedures that can be performed to facilitate weight loss although these procedures can be performed for conditions other than weight loss.  Data quality HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 national health service trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data are also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Assessing growth through time HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. The quality and coverage of the data have improved over time. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Some of the increase in figures for later years (particularly 2006-07 onwards) may be due to the improvement in the coverage of independent sector activity. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted for in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.  Ungrossed data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in the data, i.e. the data are ungrossed.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care

Respite Care

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve co-operation between primary care trusts and local authorities in planning, commissioning and funding short break services.

Phil Hope: The NHS Operating Framework 2009-10 states that primary care trusts (PCTs) should work with their local authority partners and publish joint plans on how their combined funding will support breaks for carers, including short breaks, in a personalised way. PCTs are therefore aware of this additional funding and it is for PCTs to decide how to use this funding in the light of local priorities. Local authorities and PCTs are accountable to their local communities and it is for them to find appropriate ways to work together to support carers.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Billing

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2009,  Official Report, column 757W, on departmental billing, how much his Department's non-departmental public bodies have paid in interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in the last three years.

Michael Foster: None of the Department for International Development's non-departmental public bodies has paid interest under the Act in the last three years.

Departmental Drinking Water

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on water coolers in each of the last six months.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not use water coolers in its UK offices. Drinking water is provided by means of filtered chilled tap water.
	Information on water coolers in our overseas offices is not centrally available and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Internet

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on the maintenance of its website in each year since 2007.

Michael Foster: Maintenance costs of the Department for International Development's website were:
	
		
			
			 2007-08 120,420 
			 2008-09 173,637

Departmental Manpower

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people from ethnic minority backgrounds his Department employs.

Michael Foster: Declaration of ethnicity is voluntary at the Department for International Development (DFID). As at the end of March 2009, and where ethnicity of our home civil service (HCS) staff in post is known, there were 154 staff with a declared ethnic minority background. This represents 12.4 per cent. of our HCS staff.

Departmental Press Releases

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many press releases his Department has issued in the last 12 years.

Michael Foster: According to departmental records, the Department for International Development (DFID) has issued 633 press releases since January 2004.
	DFID's press release archive does not go further back than this.

Departmental Training

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on health and safety training in each of the last two years.

Michael Foster: In the last two years the Department for International Development (DFID) has spent 28,177 on health and safety training. These figures cover training conducted in DFID's UK headquarters. Information on training courses arranged by our overseas offices is not collated centrally and to provide this information would incur disproportionate costs.

International Women's Day

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on promoting International Women's Day 2009.

Michael Foster: To mark International Women's Day, the Department for International Development (DFID) promoted work on violence against women, a policy issue of major concern to the UK Government and civil society partners in the UK and developing countries. Former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Mr. Ivan Lewis) hosted an exhibit commissioned by the non-governmental organisation Action Aid as part of a wider display of information in DFID's London office on the issue of violence against women. This was accompanied by a series of lunchtime films on gender issues shown during the week of 9 March. Non-staff costs incurred by these activities came to less than 200.
	In addition, some DFID country offices used the occasion of International Women's Day to highlight work on gender issues in support of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). For example, in Sierra Leone, DFID committed 16,000 to support awareness-raising activities on the issue of maternal mortality during February and March.

Investing for Development

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking in response to the recommendations of the Eighteenth Report of the Committee of Public Accounts, Session 2008-09, HC94, on Investing for Development.

Douglas Alexander: The UK Government are currently preparing a formal response to the recommendations in the 18th Report by the Committee of Public Accounts (2008-09) on Investing for Development: the Department for International Development's Oversight of CDC Group plc. This response will be set out in a Treasury minute to be presented to Parliament and published on 16 July 2009.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent clearing mines from Iraq since 2001.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has spent approximately 5 million clearing mines from Iraq since 2001.

Overseas Aid: Emergency Services

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2009,  Official Report, column 834W, on overseas aid: emergency services, what estimate he has made of the expenditure which will be incurred by the UK Fire and Rescue Service in undertaking its duties under the agreement on organisation of the overseas search and rescue capability in disaster response.

Michael Foster: Expenditure incurred by the UK Fire and Rescue Service in undertaking overseas search and rescue operations cannot be predicted in advance but will depend on the requirements in each response.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) has agreed a budget for the UK Fire and Rescue Service to train, equip and maintain its readiness to provide search and rescue response of 241,230 over the three years 2009-10 to 2011-12.

Overseas Aid: Emergency Services

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2009,  Official Report, column 834W, on overseas aid: emergency services, what plans there are for members of the UK Fire and Rescue Service to attend international disaster-related training events and conferences in the next 12 months.

Michael Foster: The UK Fire and Rescue Service so far plans to take part in the following events in the next year:
	October, 2009 - International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) Africa, Europe and Middle-East Regional Meeting in Hungary.
	2010 - Regional Team Leaders Meeting in Abu Dhabi; and
	possibly a multi-regional INSARAG Team Leaders Meeting, location to be determined.

Overseas Aid: Indonesia

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps his Department has taken in respect of aid and assistance to those working in the rubber trade in Indonesia.

Michael Foster: Between February and March this year, the Department for International Development (DFID) funded work in Indonesia which produced first hand, up to date information on how the global economic crisis was affecting small-scale rubber producers. That work helped to inform the Indonesian Government's understanding of which sectors of the economy and which communities are most vulnerable to the current economic shock.
	DFID programmes in Indonesia do not specifically target those working in the rubber trade. But earlier this year DFID provided an additional 4 million in support for the Indonesian Government's main national social protection scheme, which aims to provide assistance to households facing increased hardship because of the global economic downturn.

Sri Lanka

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what  (a) financial and  (b) technical assistance the Government plans to provide to Sri Lanka for de-mining the former conflict zones in the north of the country; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) recently committed an additional 5 million of humanitarian funding for continuing life-saving response activities as well as early recovery work. Our early recovery work will include de-mining and we stand by ready to support funds for humanitarian de-mining agencies with strong capacity in country such as the Mines Action Group (MAG). DFID is providing no financial or technical support for humanitarian de-mining activities directly to the Government of Sri Lanka.

Sub-Saharan Africa: Malaria

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations he has received on the provision of mosquito nets in sub-Saharan Africa.

Gareth Thomas: Representatives of Malaria No More met with Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Mr. Michael Foster) on 10 June 2009. I understand there has been no other formal representation made to Ministers since 1 January 2009 at which the issue of the provision of bed nets in sub-Saharan Africa has been raised.

Sudan: Elections

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has allocated to support elections in Sudan; and how such funding will be disbursed.

Gareth Thomas: In 2007, the Department for International Development (DFID) earmarked 11 million to support the electoral process in Sudan.
	DFID has already provided 1 million for media, civic education and electoral conflict management programmes, and 1.5 million to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for its preparatory support to the elections. The National Elections Commission has yet to present its overall strategy, but once we are content with this plan, we will be able to transfer remaining funds to UNDP and determine any further support the UK may provide.
	UK funding supports a range of activities: voter and civic education through local organisations, training workshops for journalists and programmes to support media monitoring, support to domestic observer groups, assistance to the National Elections Commission and training for the Political Parties Affairs Council.

United Nations: Females

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2009,  Official Report, column 1W, on United Nations: females, what proposals his Department has put forward for the  (a) remit and  (b) leadership of a United Nations Agency for Women; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The UK Government are arguing for the creation of a single powerful agency for women, merging existing bodies, with a strong visible leader.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Apprentices

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the minimum  (a) number of hours a week for an apprenticeship and  (b) number of guided learning hours for an apprenticeship framework will be for apprentices aged 16 and 17 following the raising of the age of participation in education or training to 18.

Iain Wright: At present, there is no minimum number of hours a week for an apprenticeship. The minimum number of hours spent each week on an apprenticeship is a matter for agreement between employer and apprentice.
	The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill which is currently before Parliament would give the Secretary of State the power to bring forward regulations through a Specification of Apprenticeship Standards for England to set out the minimum requirements for all apprenticeship frameworks delivered in England. We expect these regulations to include a requirement that all frameworks must include a minimum of 280 guided learning hours per year. Subject to the will of Parliament, this would ensure that all apprentices aged 16 and 17 would benefit from the minimum level of learning guided learning required to be considered as being engaged in education and training.

Child Workforce Development Council

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding has been allocated to the Children's Workforce Development Council in each year since its creation.

Diana Johnson: The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) was established in 2005. The allocation for each financial year from Department Children, Schools and Families(1) was:
	(1) Or it's predecessor DFES.
	
		
			   
			 2005-06 960,000 
			 2006-07 31,921,000 
			 2007-08 55,181,000 
			 2008-09 82,454,000 
			  Note: For the current financial year, 2009-10, the available allocation is 106,070,875

Children in Care: Essex

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children were in care in  (a) Essex and  (b) Castle Point in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the number of looked after children in Essex is available from table LAA1 in the Statistical First Release entitled 'Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2008', which is located at
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000810/index.shtml
	Table LAA1 can be found within the first set of additional tables.
	Information on the number of looked after children are only collected by the Department at local authority level; therefore information for Castle Point is not available.

Children in Care: Missing Persons

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children of each  (a) sex,  (b) age group and  (c) ethnic group were reported missing from local authority care in the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 7 May 2009
	The information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Children looked after during the year ending 31 March who went missing from their placements by gender, age at 31 March, and ethnic origin( 1,2,3,4) Years ending 31 March 2008; Coverage: England 
			   All children looked after who went missing from care (number) 
			  Gender 980 
			 Male 510 
			 Female 470 
			   
			  Age at 31 March (years) 980 
			 Under 1  
			 1 to 4 10 
			 5 to 9 10 
			 10 to 15 440 
			 16 and over 520 
			   
			  Ethnic origin 980 
			  White  
			 White British 640 
			 White Irish 10 
			 Any other White background 40 
			   
			  Mixed  
			 White and Black Caribbean 40 
			 White and Black African 10 
			 White and Asian 10 
			 Any other mixed background 30 
			   
			  Asian or Asian British  
			 Indian 10 
			 Pakistani 10 
			 Bangladeshi 0 
			 Any other Asian background 40 
			  Black or Black British  
			 Caribbean 40 
			 African 40 
			 Any other Black background 20 
			   
			  Other ethnic groups  
			 Chinese 20 
			 Any other ethnic group 40 
			 (1) Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements. (2) Children who went missing on more than one occasion during the year have been counted once. (3) Includes looked after children who were missing from care for a period of more than 24 hours. (4) National figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Numbers of five or less have been suppressed and replaced with a hyphen () except where the number is zero.  Source: SSDA 903

Children: Databases

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to ensure that computers infected with malware are prevented from gaining access to the ContactPoint database.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 11 May  2009
	Before any organisation can connect to ContactPoint they are subject to an accreditation process which ensures that they have in place the necessary regulatory, security and operational requirements. This provides assurance that the use of ContactPoint is subject to appropriate supervision, monitoring and controls.
	As part of the accreditation process each organisation must demonstrate that they have appropriate security policies and processes in place for protection from malware, viruses and spyware. They are also required to show that content analysis is performed on incoming and outgoing data, including the virus checking of emails and attachments. These checks will provide assurance that workstations are free from known threats such as malware or spyware before they are used to access ContactPoint and are protected from any future compromise.

Children's Centres: Tamworth

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children's centres there are in Tamworth constituency; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of such provision for children under five in Tamworth.

Dawn Primarolo: Tamworth currently has six designated Sure Start children's centres, offering access to services to over 6,300 children under five and their families.
	In general Staffordshire is making good progress with the establishment and development of children's centres. It is a major programme which I understand has been well managed, with good community involvement, consultation and links to extended services in schools.

Demos

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what  (a) private meetings and  (b) public engagements Ministers in his Department have attended at which representatives from the think-tank Demos were present in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Diana Johnson: Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from road-based transport used for administrative operations by his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Diana Johnson: The Department for Children, Schools and Families estimates that the tonnage of carbon dioxide emissions arising from road-based transport for administrative operations by the Department is as follows.
	The data requested were for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). DCSF was established under Machinery of Government changes on 28 June 2007, therefore the response covers its predecessor the Department for Education and Skills (DFES).
	The carbon emissions arising from road-based transport for staff in  (a) 2006-07 was 935 tonnes with 0.271 full-time equivalent staff  (b) 2007-08 was 1479 tonnes with 0.534 full-time equivalent staff.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the volume of carbon dioxide emissions arising from air travel by staff in his Department in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08 (i) in total and (ii) per full-time equivalent member of staff.

Diana Johnson: The information requested is as follows:
	The data requested were for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). DCSF was established under Machinery of Government changes on 28 June 2007, therefore the response covers its predecessor the Department for Education and Skills (DFES).
	The carbon emissions arising from air travel for staff in  (a) 2006-07 was 432.05 with 0.125 for full-time equivalent staff  (b) 2007-08 was 186.80 with 0.068 for full-time equivalent staff.
	The data have been provided air travels bookings made by the Department's contractor for travel booking, Carlson Wagonlit Travel.

Departmental Data Protection

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many breaches of information security there have been at his Department and its predecessor in the last five years.

Diana Johnson: In the last five years there have been seven breaches of information security. The Department for Children, Schools and Families and its agencies report all significant personal data security breaches to the Cabinet Office and the ICO. Information on personal data security breaches are published on an annual basis in the Department's annual resource accounts as was announced in the Data Handling Review published on 25 June 2008.
	Additionally, all significant control weaknesses including other significant security breaches are included in the Statement of Internal Control which is published within the annual resource accounts.

Departmental Press

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what  (a) newspapers and  (b) periodicals are delivered to the private office of each Minister in his Department; and at what cost in the latest period for which figures are available.

Diana Johnson: Attached is a list of newspapers and periodicals delivered to the private office of each Minister in the Department.
	The overall cost of newspapers and periodicals delivered to the Ministers' office, for financial year 2008-09, was 6,851.21.
	List of newspapers and periodicals delivered to each Minister's private office at the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
	Ed Balls
	 Newspapers
	 Daily Express
	 Daily Mail
	 Daily Mirror
	 Daily Telegraph
	 Evening Standard
	 Financial Times
	 Guardian
	 Independent
	 Sun
	 Times
	 Times Higher
	 Periodicals
	 Economist
	 Private Eye
	 New Statesman
	 Spectator
	Sarah McCarthy-Fry/Andrew Adonis
	 Newspapers
	 Financial Times
	 Guardian
	 Independent
	 Daily Mail
	 Daily Express
	 Daily Mirror
	 Sun
	 Times
	 Times Higher
	 Daily Telegraph
	 Evening Standard
	 Periodicals
	 Economist
	 New Statesman
	 Spectator
	 Times Educational Supplement
	Beverley Hughes
	 Newspapers
	 Financial Times
	 Guardian
	 Independent
	 Daily Mail
	 Daily Mirror
	 Sun
	 Times
	 Times Higher
	 Daily Telegraph
	 Evening Standard
	 Daily Express
	 Periodicals
	 Voice Weekly
	 Community Care
	 Nursery World
	 Local Government Chronicle
	 Health Service Journal
	 Prospect
	 First News
	 Times Educational Supplement
	 Economist
	Baroness Morgan of Drefelin/Kevin Brennan
	 Newspapers
	 Financial Times
	 Guardian
	 Independent
	 Daily Mail
	 Daily Express
	 Daily Mirror
	 Sun
	 Times
	 Daily Telegraph
	 Evening standard
	 Western Mail
	 Periodicals
	 Times Educational Supplement
	Jim Knight shared newspapers with Sarah McCarthy-Fry/Andrew Adonis' private office
	 Newspapers
	 Dorset Echo

EC Law

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the proportion of statutory obligations provided for by legislation on matters for which his Department is responsible which were introduced as a consequence of obligations arising from EU legislation in the latest period for which figures are available.

Diana Johnson: The Department for Children, Schools and Families has not carried out an estimate of the proportion of statutory obligations deriving from EU law within its policy remit. The key policy areas within the Department's remit (education in schools, children's social care and substantive family law) fall outside community competence.

European Union: Primary Education

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what information about the EU his Department provides to primary schools for teaching purposes.

Diana Johnson: The Department does not provide information about the European Union to schools. The proposed new primary curriculum, which is being consulted on, will provide opportunities for children to learn about Europe and the European Union. For example pupils should be taught about links between local, British, European and world history.

Further Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of year 11 pupils  (a) entitled to and  (b) not entitled to free school meals who achieved at least five GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics in (i) 2004, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2006, achieved a level 3 qualification within two years of completing their GCSEs; and if he will make a statement.

Diana Johnson: The information requested is shown in the following table. The higher progression rate to Level 3 at 18 among those not eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) who had gained at least five GCSEs at grades A*-C, including English and Maths, is partly a reflection of their higher average attainment in year 11 compared with their counterparts who were FSM eligible in year 11.
	
		
			  Number and proportion year 11 pupils gaining at least five GCSEs at A*-C in year 11 includ ing English and Maths who gain l evel 3 within two years, by eligibility for free school meals 
			   Level 3 at 18( 1)  
			   Number  Percentage  Base( 2) 
			  Entitled to free school meals( 3)
			 2004 9,800 65.8 14,800 
			 2005 9,200 64.4 14,300 
			 2006 8,500 64.6 13,100 
			  Not entitled to free school meals( 3)
			 2004 183,300 76.7 238,900 
			 2005 178,000 76.6 232,300 
			 2006 171,800 77.4 221,900 
			 (1) Level 3 within two years of year 11 (e.g. 2006 for 2004 year 11 cohort). (2) The base is total number gaining five or more GCSEs grades A*-C in year 11 including English and Maths. (3) Based on eligibility for free school meals in year 11 for those in maintained provision only ) as eligibility for free school meals in year 11 is not available for the independent sector).  Source:  Matched Administrative Dataset.

Outdoor Education

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what funding his Department has given to the Learning Outside the Classroom programme in each of the last three years; and what funding has been allocated to the programme for each of the next three years;
	(2)  how many schools have indicated their support for the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto in each year since its launch;
	(3)  how many children of each age in each region experienced learning outside the classroom in each of the three years  (a) before and  (b) after the launch of the Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto.

Diana Johnson: A breakdown of the Department's investment in England into the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) programme is set out as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  Funding () 
			 2006-07 1,750,000 
			 2007-08 1,560,000 
			 2008-09 1,500,000 
		
	
	This year the Department is funding the newly established Council for Learning Outside the Classroom 740,000 to take forward the aims of the Manifesto. Funding beyond this financial year has not yet been agreed.
	There are currently 1,698 signatories to the Manifesto, including 199 schools. We also know from the huge interest and enthusiasm from schools for last year's LOtC Awards that schools and teachers recognise the importance of different activities outside of the classroom in supporting learning and development for their young people.
	The Department does not collect data on how many children experience learning outside the classroom. However, we know that most schools do provide learning outside the classroom and recognise its importance. The 2006 NFER survey confirmed that schools were doing the same, or more, learning outside the classroom than before and they expect to do the same or more in future. Changes to the secondary curriculum are designed to encourage 'curriculum opportunities' outside the classroom and the proposed new primary curriculum, to be introduced from 2011, which is currently subject to consultation, will also reflect the need for teachers to engage pupils with these experiences.

Pupil Exclusions: Disadvantaged

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of children in each region who were subject to  (a) permanent and  (b) fixed-term exclusion from school were entitled to free school meals in the latest year for which figures are available.

Diana Johnson: The information available on the number of exclusions (not the number of children) for 2006/07 is shown in the table. Some pupils may be excluded more than once.
	
		
			  Primary, secondary and special schools( 1) : Number and proportion of permanent and fixed period exclusions for pupils who were eligible for free school meals( 2, 3) 2006/07 
			   Type of exclusion 
			   Permanent  Fixed period 
			  Government office region  Number  Proportion( 3)  Number  Proportion( 4) 
			 North East 210 49.6 7,200 39.3 
			 North West 540 43.2 22,160 37.8 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 290 43.0 17,810 34.6 
			 East Midlands 280 31.1 9,820 29.0 
			 West Midlands 450 41.7 16,980 36.9 
			 East of England 240 29.3 11,320 25.2 
			  
			 London 620 43.9 22,170 41.2 
			 Inner London 230 48.2 9,190 48.4 
			 Outer London 390 41.6 12,980 37.3 
			  
			 South East 380 27.8 19,530 25.8 
			 South West 210 27.0 11,340 26.5 
			  
			 Total 3,210 37.0 138,320 32.5 
			 (1) Includes primary, state funded secondary, and maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (2) Pupils who were eligible for free school meals at the time of the January 2007 census. (3) Number of permanent exclusions of pupils who were eligible for free school meals as a proportion of all permanent exclusions by region. Total number of exclusions includes pupils whose free school meal eligibility could not be determined. (4) Number of fixed period exclusions of pupils who were eligible for free school meals as a proportion of all fixed period exclusions by region. Total number of exclusions includes pupils whose free school meal eligibility could not be determined.  Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10  Source: School Census

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of pupils eligible to receive free school meals were not entered for a modern foreign language GCSE in each year since 2005.

Diana Johnson: The information available is given in the following table:
	
		
			  How many and what proportion of pupils eligible to receive free school meals were not entered for a modern foreign language GCSE in each year since 2006 
			   Number  Percentage 
			 2008 55,342 74.1 
			 2007 55,416 72.4 
			 2006 54,242 69.5 
			  Source:  National Pupil Database. 
		
	
	The data are based on pupils at the end of Key Stage 4.
	The data for 2005 are not provided as they are not available on a comparable basis.
	This table included expenditure on education by other Government departments, non-department public bodies and local authorities. Detailed figures are not readily available for future years for these other organisations.
	 Note :
	The Real Total Education Expenditure figure for 2006-07 should read 61,569 and not 51,569. All other figures on the table are correct. A correction slip is being issued and the web version amended.

Pupils: Disadvantaged and Special Educational Needs

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what percentage of pupils in  (a) maintained secondary schools and  (b) grammar schools were eligible for free school meals in the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  what percentage of pupils in  (a) maintained secondary schools and  (b) grammar schools had special educational needs in the last year for which figures are available.

Diana Johnson: The requested information is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			  State-funded secondary( 1)  and grammar schools: free school meal eligibility as at January 2009 (provisional) in England 
			   Grammar schools  Secondary schools 
			 Number of pupils(2) 158,610 3,256,120 
			 Number of pupils eligible for FSM 3,210 434,860 
			 Percentage of pupils eligible for FSM 2.0 13.4 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed, and CTCs and Academies. (2) Includes solely registered pupils only.  Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: School Census 
		
	
	
		
			  State-funded secondary( 1)  and grammar schools: special educational needs as at January 2009 (provisional) in England 
			   Grammar schools  Secondary schools 
			 Number of pupils(2) 158,610 3,256,120 
			 Number of pupils with statements of SEN 350 64,950 
			 Percentage of pupils with statements of SEN 0.2 2.0 
			 Number of pupils with SEN without statements 6,250 620,450 
			 Percentage of pupils with SEN without statements 3.9 19.1 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed, and CTCs and Academies. (2) Includes solely registered pupils only.  Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: School Census

Pupils: Per Capita Costs

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average expenditure per school pupil in Plymouth was in each year since 1989.

Vernon Coaker: The available information on the average expenditure per school pupil in Plymouth is shown in the table.
	
		
			  School based expenditure per pupil in local authority maintained primary, secondary and special schools from 1992-93 to 2007-08 
			   Part A:  Total (including pre-primary) 
			   1992-93  1993-94  1994-95  1995-96  1996-97  1997-98  1998-99 
			 England 1,960 1,950 1,990 2,020 2,060 2,080 2,190 
			 Plymouth   2,090 
			 Pre LGR Devon 1,870 1,830 1,900 1,890 1,970 1,980  
		
	
	
		
			   Part B 
			   1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02 
			   Total (including pre-primary)  Total (excluding pre-primary)  Total (including pre-primary)  Total (excluding pre-primary)  Total (including pre-primary)  Total (excluding pre-primary) 
			 England 2,390 2,370 2,620 2,590 2,940 2,900 
			 Plymouth 2,340 2,320 2,620 2,600 2,920 2,890 
			 Pre LGR Devon   
		
	
	
		
			   Part C:  Total (excluding pre-primary) 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 England 2,950 3,230 3,440 3,710 3,950 4,170 
			 Plymouth 2,920 3,140 3,400 3,680 3,900 4,150 
			 Pre LGR Devon   
			  Notes: 1. School based expenditure includes only expenditure incurred directly by the schools. This includes the pay of teachers and school-based support staff, school premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services, less any capital items funded from recurrent spending and income from sales, fees and charges and rents and rates. This excludes the central cost of support services such as home to school transport, local authority administration and the financing of capital expenditure. 2. 1999-2000 saw a change in data source when the data collection moved from the R01 form collected by the ODPM to the section 52 form from the DFES. 2002-03 saw a further break in the time series following the introduction of Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) and the associated restructuring of the outturn tables. The change in sources is shown as parts B and C. From 2002-03 school based expenditure is taken from section 52 outturn table A line 51 net current expenditure (NCE). For 2001-02 and earlier years the expenditure is calculated as lines 1 to 12 less lines 29, 30, 35 and 37. This differs from the old Net Institutional Expenditure (NIE) calculation only in the treatment of meals and milk which is no longer excluded and no adjustments for balances are now made. This is taken from section 52 outturn table 3 for 1999-2000 to 2001-02 and from the R01 form previously. 3. The calculation for 2002-03 onwards is broadly similar to the calculation in previous years. However, 2001-02 and earlier years includes all premature retirement compensation (PRC) and Crombie payments, mandatory PRC payments and other indirect employee expenses. In 2001-02 this accounted for approximately 70 per pupil. From 2002-03 onwards only the schools element of these categories is included and this accounted for approximately 50 per pupil of the 2002-03 total. Also, for some LAs, expenditure that had previously been attributed to the school sectors was reported within the LA part of the form from 2002-03, though this is not quantifiable from existing sources. 4. Pupil numbers include only those pupils attending maintained establishments within each sector and are drawn from the DFES Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis. 5. Local government reorganisation (LGR) took place during the mid to late 1990s and those LAs that did not exist either pre or post LGR are shaded out for those years. 6. Spending in 1997-98 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 1998-99.  7. The 1999-2000 figures reflect the return of GM schools to local authority maintenance. Consequently LAs where there entire pupil provision were educated in GM schools will show a unit cost of zero prior to 1999-2000.  8. Expenditure was not distinguished between the pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of section 52 for financial year 1999-2000. 9. School based expenditure in LA maintained nursery schools was not recorded in 2002-03 and comparable figures are not available for 2003-04 onwards. 10. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Cash terms figures as reported by local authorities as at 26 June.

Schools: Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of the spending on education identified on page 173 of his Department's Annual Report 2009, Cm 7595, is expenditure on schools; and if he will make a statement.

Diana Johnson: The proportion of expenditure on education identified on page 173 of the Departmental Report 2009, which relates to schools, is as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			  Financial year  Proportion 
			 1997-98 65.0 
			 1998-99 65.4 
			 1999-00 67.6 
			 2000-01 68.6 
			 2001-02 69.8 
			 2002-03 69.9 
			 2003-04 67.9 
			 2004-05 68.1 
			 2005-06 68.0 
			 2006-07 67.8 
			 2007-08 67.3 
			 2008-09 66.9

Special Educational Needs

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of pupils with special educational needs are home schooled in each local authority area, broken down by the type of special educational need.

Diana Johnson: The Department does not centrally collect data on home educated children by type of special educational need.

Sure Start Programme: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on each Sure Start centre in  (a) the London Borough of Enfield and  (b) Enfield North constituency in each year since such centres were established.

Dawn Primarolo: Sure Start local programmes (SSLPs), the forerunner of Sure Start Children's Centres, were introduced in waves from 1999-2000. There has been one trailblazer SSLP in Enfield since the beginning of the initiative.
	From 2006-07, to reflect SSLPs transition to children's centres, the SSLP Grant was paid to local authorities together with children's centre funding as part of the Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare Grant (formerly the General Sure Start Grant). Under the terms and conditions of that grant, local authorities have a degree of freedom in the allocation and use of the funding provided to best meet their local objectives. Furthermore, in an effort to reduce the monitoring burden the Department only requires them to report expenditure at a local level, rather than by individual children's centre. It is therefore not possible to provide a breakdown of expenditure by individual children's centre.
	The following tables set out total expenditure on the SSLP and all children's centres in Enfield for each financial year since programme inception.
	
		
			  London borough of Enfield Sure Start Children's Centre Expenditure 
			   Expenditure 
			   1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 SSLP Revenue 38,775 715,528 1,160,758 1,164,802 1,311,845 1,308,067 1,373,262 
			 SSLP Capital 0 143,173 315,448 32,799 19,512 85,656 0 
			 Children's Centre Revenue 0 0 0 0 0 75,792 842,401 
			 Children's Centre Capital 0 0 0 0 0 195,082 1,424,112 
			 
			 Total Revenue 38,775 715,528 1,160,758 1,164,802 1,311,845 1,383,859 2,215,663 
			 Total Capital 0 143,173 315,448 32,799 19,512 280,738 1,424,112 
			 
			 Grand total 38,775 858,701 1,476,206 1,197,601 1,331,357 1,664,597 3,639,775 
		
	
	
		
			   Expenditure  Allocation  
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  Total 
			 SSLP Revenue 1,006,874 500,000 456,402 453,148 9,450,686 
			 SSLP Capital 0 0 0 0 596,588 
			 Children's Centre Revenue 2,037,493 2,440,685 4,606,498 5,988,268 15,991,137 
			 Children's Centre Capital 1,337,013 1,183,315 694,755 1,454,749 6,289,026 
			   
			 Total Revenue 3,044,367 2,940,685 5,062,900 6,441,416 25,441,823 
			 Total Capital 1,337,013 1,183,315 694,755 1,454,749 6,885,614 
			   
			 Grand total 4,381,380 4,124,000 5,757,655 7,896,165 32,327,437

Sure Start Programme: Lancashire

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much has been spent from the public purse on each Sure Start centre in each parliamentary constituency in the Lancashire County Council area in each year since the scheme's inception.

Dawn Primarolo: Sure Start local programmes (SSLPs), the forerunner of Sure Start children's centres, were introduced in waves from 1999-2000. By 2003-04 there were 17 SSLPs operating in Lancashire.
	From 2006-07, to reflect SSLPs transition to children's centres, the SSLP Grant was paid to local authorities together with children's centre funding as part of the Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare Grant (formerly the General Sure Start Grant). Under the terms and conditions of that grant, local authorities have a degree of freedom in the allocation and use of the funding provided to best meet their local objectives. Furthermore, in an effort to reduce the monitoring burden the Department only requires them to report expenditure at a local level, rather than by individual children's centre. It is therefore not possible to provide a breakdown of expenditure by individual SSLP or children's centre.
	The following tables set out total expenditure on all SSLPs and children's centres in Lancashire for each financial year since programme inception.
	
		
			  Lancashire Sure Start Children's Centre Expenditure 
			   Expenditure 
			   2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 SSLP Revenue 489,929 1,895,584 5,012,939 9,362,926 11,606,029 12,589,813 
			 SSLP Capital 30,574 72,918 899,823 3,306,702 4,320,379 3,886,509 
			 Children's Centre Revenue 0 0 0 0 9,023 2,514,650 
			 Children's Centre Capital 0 0 0 0 90,870 4,638,150 
			
			 Total Revenue 489,929 1,895,584 5,012,939 9,362,926 11,615,052 15,104,463 
			 Total Capital 30,574 72,918 899,823 3,306,702 4,411,249 8,524,659 
			
			 Grand total 520,503 1,968,502 5,912,762 12,669,628 16,026,301 23,629,122 
		
	
	
		
			   Expenditure  Allocation  
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  Total 
			 SSLP Revenue 12,378,766 10,722,226 10,439,383 9,020,446 83,518,041 
			 SSLP Capital 0 0 0 0 12,516,905 
			 Children's Centre Revenue 5,021,283 7,111,296 11,852,273 15,344,023 41,852,548 
			 Children's Centre Capital 7,536,921 7,211,735 1,272,514 3,302,854 24,053,044 
			   
			 Total Revenue 17,400,049 17,833,522 22,291,656 24,364,469 125,370,589 
			 Total Capital 7,536,921 7,211,735 1,272,514 3,302,854 36,569,949 
			   
			 Grand total 24,936,970 25,045,257 23,564,170 27,667,323 161,940,538

Teachers: Training

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 1 June 2009,  Official Report, column 284W, on teachers: training, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of teachers' professional bodies and industry on teachers' continuing professional development; and what recent consideration he has given to teachers' participation in continuing professional development during school holidays.

Vernon Coaker: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families has regular discussions with representatives of teachers' professional bodies and industry to discuss teachers' continuing professional development (CPD). He has not given recent consideration to teachers participating in CPD during school holidays.
	Under the provisions of the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD), teachers are contracted to work under the direction of a head teacher for 1,265 hours over 195 days. They are required to teach and perform other duties for 190 of those days and are to be available for deployment at the head's discretion for the other five days to perform duties other than teaching. These five days are commonly known as school closure days and schools can and do use them for a variety of CPD/school planning activities. The timing and organisation of these days is entirely for individual local authorities, governing bodies, and head teachers to determine, but we look to them to be sensitive to local circumstances in deciding which days to choose.
	No teacher may be required to work on any Saturday, Sunday or public holiday unless his or her contract of employment expressly provides for this.
	In relation to teachers participating in CPD during school holidays, there is nothing to prohibit teachers undertaking such activity during those periods. However, head teachers, in carrying out their duties in deploying and managing staff, must have regard to the desirability of teachers being able to achieve a satisfactory balance between the time required to discharge their professional duties and the time required to pursue their personal interests outside work.

Young People: Carers

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent estimate he has made of the number of young carers in  (a) Chorley and  (b) Lancashire.

Dawn Primarolo: The 2001 census, which is the only source of nationally comparable data on the number of carers of all ages, indicated that there were some 300 children and young people aged under 18 in Chorley and 4,000 in Lancashire as a whole who were offering some care to family members, neighbours, friends or others.
	The census records young people who are described by the adults in the household as offering care to their families or communities. This includes young people who are responsible for the care of a family member (which is how young carers are more usually defined) plus others who may provide more occasional support such as child care for their parents or care for neighbours and friends.